Can you even believe that we are almost into May, where does the time go? I spent the whole morning in the North end of the OC finishing up my book shoots. One place that I was shooting was the Arbor Dog Park in Los Alamitos, very nice. I was very impressed, it has to be one of the nicest parks around.
Everyone was very well behaved at the dog park, it seemed to be more relaxing than some. Perhaps the size, it is a large dog park. The grass was nice, I'm not a big fan of the wood chips that some dog parks put in them. There were several trees scattered around the area and the whole park is surrounded by a golf course so the scenery is nice as well.
I actually saw two very nice miniature poodles at the park, a silver and a white. Amazingly enough you really don't see miniature poodles around much anymore. When I was young just about everyone had a miniature poodle. They became the dog to have and they were bred like crazy. Now they seemed to have just about gone with the rise of all the new "designer dogs," and breeds that are popping up.
As cool as it seems to have the "in" dog; it is the breed that catches the public eye that often suffers the worst. Take several years back with the popularity of Jack Russells; all because of Wishbone and Eddie on Frasier. Also the dalmation breed suffered tremendously due to the new Dalmation movie, very sad.
So when a breed starts to die off; this can only be a good thing.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ah, much better
Much cooler this morning, I'm very happy about this. I think Tilley is going to loose her mohawk this morning; I'm growing tired of it. Everyone loves it but it really isn't her. And Luke? I'll leave him as a hairy beast as his hair grows in.
It seems that I have solved the barking frenzy situation at our house. Sometimes it just needs a little imagination. The first day we put Jessie in her crate; which did solve the problem. But with summer around the corner and the high temps I do not like leaving her in a crate when I am out. I have a fear of the AC breaking down and I would hate her to be somewhere she couldn't cool off.
The familyroom in this house stays very cool even in the hottest of weather so this is where I like to leave them. The problem was to figure out what was going on in Jessie's little head and how to turn it around. The original problem seemed to be my bed; and some sort of guarding/control issue on Jessie's part.
I tried just closing my bedroom door but she seemed to transfer that guarding/control issue to the front entrance where she can control the poodles either going up or down the two sets of stairs. The tell tale sign of unrest is coming home to a pack of frenzied dogs. They are all getting up there in age and would normally be sleeping when I get home so this is very different of late.
So on the weekend I got out the old babygate and gave it a whirl. They have been gated in the familyroom when we had a bunch of workers here doing upstairs work. But never when I go out so I didn't know if they would be okay with it or not, but it worked great. It was just enough of a switch up to put everything back in order, for now that is.
Jessie, Tilley and Luke were becoming anxious as I got ready to go out; I could see it in their faces. And it was obviously directed at Jessie. So hopefully this new familyroom solution will work from now on. Everyone was in a bed/couch when I got home and no one was barking or panting; great!!
Monday, April 28, 2008
Barking, are you listening?
Yes our dogs bark, but do you know what your dog is saying? I thought about writing about barking today because on Friday Tilley kicked into her guard barking. She does not guard bark often but when she does; I listen. My dogs do not bark needlessly; they will sometimes get on a barking roll due to something that has spooked them but they don't typically bark for the joy of barking.
I was in the kitchen on Friday and Tilley was outside in the back, she could see down the side of the house. Suddenly she kicked into gear; her whole body was saying "intruder." I found this odd but new immediatley there had to be someone inside our yard, inside our gate. I quickly went to the side of the house and the gas guy was there; I hadn't seen him before. He calmly said "I'm reading your gas meter;" and went about his business.
By the tone of his voice I could tell that he thought Tilley was behind a secure fence, she was not. Had she decided to follow through he would have got a big surprise when she came around the side of the fence. She stood her ground, feet spread and screaming out a threat. I told her she was a very good girl and she came around closer to the house and lay down facing the side of the house; obviously keeping a close eye on things.
There is a huge difference in the bark she warned this guy with and her "hey I hear something," bark. Dogs bark for all kinds of reasons, excitement, warnings, alert, frustration etc. It is up to us as guardians to decipher it. You need to pay close attention to a bark, watch your dogs body language. When Tilley was doing her guard barking she had all four legs spread wide and was stomping mad.
Sometimes dogs will simply give a small bark; to let you know that they heard something. Then it is up to you to go check it out. Frenzied barking is not good, no dog should be in a frenzied state. It is very hard to get a dog out of this state let alone communicate anything to them. So setting barking limits is a good idea. I allow about 5 usually, anymore than that and it gets annoying.
Luke will go to the door and bark if another one of the dogs has a toy or bone he wants. He's very smart; you can see the whole thought process that goes into it. But, the bark is a fake bark; I can tell. But it is enough to get the girls to drop whatever they have and go and check it out.
Barking is one way that dogs communicate; you should be listening. If it becomes a barking problem then your action is required. Remaining calm is one of the quickest ways to stop barking. If I am at home with the dogs and for some reason they are sure there is someone at the door; I will approach the door calmly, open it and tell them there is no one there. Remaining overly calm is the secret.
It can be difficult to remain calm when a dog is barking a ton but when you get excited; it makes matters worse. So keep your cool.
I was in the kitchen on Friday and Tilley was outside in the back, she could see down the side of the house. Suddenly she kicked into gear; her whole body was saying "intruder." I found this odd but new immediatley there had to be someone inside our yard, inside our gate. I quickly went to the side of the house and the gas guy was there; I hadn't seen him before. He calmly said "I'm reading your gas meter;" and went about his business.
By the tone of his voice I could tell that he thought Tilley was behind a secure fence, she was not. Had she decided to follow through he would have got a big surprise when she came around the side of the fence. She stood her ground, feet spread and screaming out a threat. I told her she was a very good girl and she came around closer to the house and lay down facing the side of the house; obviously keeping a close eye on things.
There is a huge difference in the bark she warned this guy with and her "hey I hear something," bark. Dogs bark for all kinds of reasons, excitement, warnings, alert, frustration etc. It is up to us as guardians to decipher it. You need to pay close attention to a bark, watch your dogs body language. When Tilley was doing her guard barking she had all four legs spread wide and was stomping mad.
Sometimes dogs will simply give a small bark; to let you know that they heard something. Then it is up to you to go check it out. Frenzied barking is not good, no dog should be in a frenzied state. It is very hard to get a dog out of this state let alone communicate anything to them. So setting barking limits is a good idea. I allow about 5 usually, anymore than that and it gets annoying.
Luke will go to the door and bark if another one of the dogs has a toy or bone he wants. He's very smart; you can see the whole thought process that goes into it. But, the bark is a fake bark; I can tell. But it is enough to get the girls to drop whatever they have and go and check it out.
Barking is one way that dogs communicate; you should be listening. If it becomes a barking problem then your action is required. Remaining calm is one of the quickest ways to stop barking. If I am at home with the dogs and for some reason they are sure there is someone at the door; I will approach the door calmly, open it and tell them there is no one there. Remaining overly calm is the secret.
It can be difficult to remain calm when a dog is barking a ton but when you get excited; it makes matters worse. So keep your cool.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
New equipment and control
I met a lady the other day that had two greyhounds with very cool harnesses on them. I love finding new equipment for my dogs so I have ordered one and will let you all know how I like it. I also ordered a two inch collar for Luke. I have been looking for a wide collar forever and finally found it. It is not a buckle which I would have preferred but the fact that it is wide means that pressure is spread over a larger area of the neck, very good. I don't use collars often but like to try out anything that I might want to recommend to friends, family or clients first.
I was watching the show Its me or the dog lastnight; pretty funny actually, I love the accents. I am continually amazed by people who seem to have no control over their dog once so ever. The dog that they were focusing on was a lab, a very out of control brown lab who did everything from poop and eat it to grab food right out of his guardians mouth, nice. With just a little intervention the whole situation was turned around.
The idea of allowing your dog to run your life through bad behavior is a pretty bad situation. By implementing just a few rules you can be assured that your dog is not a huge hassle to have around. When I'm shooting; I am a spectator, I have nothing to do with the dogs good or bad behavior; it is a very different position for me. Often I will ask does your dog know how to sit? Know what stay means? Can they down? And often the answers are no, no, no. Trying to communicate with no verbal control can be frustrating for everyone involved.
Continual touch can be very stimulating to a dog, in a bad way. Dogs tend to become over excited, especially if this is something out of the ordinary for them. Often dogs who are not told what to do on a regular basis get stressed l during a shoot because they need to either, sit, stay or down. Training your dog is not mean, it is one of the best things you can do for them. It not only gives them boundaries but helps them to understand what you want without creating frustration.
Luke is a reactive dog which I have discussed before so if I had no words to communicate to him, I would have to rely on touch. Touch definitely over stimulates Luke when trying to communicate with him. He quickly goes from calm to jumping, spinning and basically over excited and obnoxious. Luke is a hands off dog, which is how communication should be for all dogs. Some need more hands off like Luke.
Communication verbal cues should be delivered calmly, short, descriptive and very factually. I do not ask if my dog can do what I want them to do, I tell them. This is what I want you to do, allowing your dog to do as they please and not have any boundaries at all is the start of monster creation. No one wants to live with a monster, correct?
I was watching the show Its me or the dog lastnight; pretty funny actually, I love the accents. I am continually amazed by people who seem to have no control over their dog once so ever. The dog that they were focusing on was a lab, a very out of control brown lab who did everything from poop and eat it to grab food right out of his guardians mouth, nice. With just a little intervention the whole situation was turned around.
The idea of allowing your dog to run your life through bad behavior is a pretty bad situation. By implementing just a few rules you can be assured that your dog is not a huge hassle to have around. When I'm shooting; I am a spectator, I have nothing to do with the dogs good or bad behavior; it is a very different position for me. Often I will ask does your dog know how to sit? Know what stay means? Can they down? And often the answers are no, no, no. Trying to communicate with no verbal control can be frustrating for everyone involved.
Continual touch can be very stimulating to a dog, in a bad way. Dogs tend to become over excited, especially if this is something out of the ordinary for them. Often dogs who are not told what to do on a regular basis get stressed l during a shoot because they need to either, sit, stay or down. Training your dog is not mean, it is one of the best things you can do for them. It not only gives them boundaries but helps them to understand what you want without creating frustration.
Luke is a reactive dog which I have discussed before so if I had no words to communicate to him, I would have to rely on touch. Touch definitely over stimulates Luke when trying to communicate with him. He quickly goes from calm to jumping, spinning and basically over excited and obnoxious. Luke is a hands off dog, which is how communication should be for all dogs. Some need more hands off like Luke.
Communication verbal cues should be delivered calmly, short, descriptive and very factually. I do not ask if my dog can do what I want them to do, I tell them. This is what I want you to do, allowing your dog to do as they please and not have any boundaries at all is the start of monster creation. No one wants to live with a monster, correct?
It's a start
Here she is on the skateboard, all 15 lbs of her. We will now work on the moving issue, you can see she is still at the holding stage.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Saturday night
It feels weird to be writing at night instead of before the day has started. My day today was not how I had intended. I was up bright and early for a day of shooting but at 8:30 went out back and realized that it was already over 80. The weather guys were right and it was a scorcher. So in to change my plans for the day, cancelled my shoots; it was just too hot for shoots. It ended up being near 100 where we are at.
So mid afternoon the AC was turned on and it was bearable. For those of you who know me you already know that I hate the heat; high 60s low 70s is my kind of weather. So my plan was to finish my book shoots this weekend but it will have to wait until mid week when the temps drop down to a better heat for me. Then I'll be out back at it again. Although I do have a shoot tomorrow morning which I'm hoping is a nice quick one before it gets really hot.
Wed. is suppose to be a highof 63; how weird is that? The dogs feel the heat, things were pretty mellow at my place tonight, even in the evening which is usually Luke's time to rev up. He rarely sleeps in the evening and usually makes a huge mess spreading all of his toys around the family room. He will bring you anything you ask him to and loves to catch. He makes death defying leaps to catch whatever you throw to him. He loves it and is quite proud as he struts around with it in his mouth.
Tilley is snoring at the moment, she is a big snorer. She is on her bed; jessis is on hers and Luke is on mine. Good night all.
So mid afternoon the AC was turned on and it was bearable. For those of you who know me you already know that I hate the heat; high 60s low 70s is my kind of weather. So my plan was to finish my book shoots this weekend but it will have to wait until mid week when the temps drop down to a better heat for me. Then I'll be out back at it again. Although I do have a shoot tomorrow morning which I'm hoping is a nice quick one before it gets really hot.
Wed. is suppose to be a highof 63; how weird is that? The dogs feel the heat, things were pretty mellow at my place tonight, even in the evening which is usually Luke's time to rev up. He rarely sleeps in the evening and usually makes a huge mess spreading all of his toys around the family room. He will bring you anything you ask him to and loves to catch. He makes death defying leaps to catch whatever you throw to him. He loves it and is quite proud as he struts around with it in his mouth.
Tilley is snoring at the moment, she is a big snorer. She is on her bed; jessis is on hers and Luke is on mine. Good night all.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Bridge work
Its been alongtime since I taught my Jack Russell a new behavior; but it was a spur of the moment idea that I think will be pretty cute. I use bridge work in my training. A bridge is basically a word or sound that lets a dog know that they have done what you want them to do and that a treat will be following. My little Jessie was clicker trained nearly 12 years ago so she understands the concept well. Once you have trained your dog this way they really learn quickly; and it is very interesting to watch.
My daughter was messing around in the backyard with a skateboard; the thought crossed my mind and soon I was trying to get Jessie to get up onto the board. She was not cool with the whole moving skateboard idea so we are still at the stand still level. But she is getting on it. I started by sitting on the gound; holding the skateboard. With treats in hand Jessie knows that I want her to offer me something; she's not sure what but she will offer me something.
The first thing she always offers is a nose touch, I say nothing so she moves onto something else. She stares at me for a while; looking around for something to include in the behavior. Finally she touches the skateboard with her paw "Yes" and she is rewarded. Looking at me she tries it again "yes" and she gets her treat. Jessie is a very fast learner so I can move quickly through the steps.
I expect her to put a foot onto the board now, she does "yes" and treat. I typically only ask her to do one level 3 times before expecting more from her. So the next step is to get both front paws on the board. Every so often she wains from our goal and tries something else; you must give no reaction to these sideline attempts. With no feedback she returns to her first objective; to get treats.
Once she is putting two front feet on the board reliably; I want her to put four feet on the board. This takes much longer as dogs do not typical think about their back feet, they just always follow along, right? After waiting for several minutes of two feet up, distractions of trying something else and starring at me she finally gets up onto the board with four feet "yes" and treat.
So I have her getting on the board on cue now while I hold the board. Now she must learn to deal with movement and then she will be giving Tony Hawk a run for his money.
My daughter was messing around in the backyard with a skateboard; the thought crossed my mind and soon I was trying to get Jessie to get up onto the board. She was not cool with the whole moving skateboard idea so we are still at the stand still level. But she is getting on it. I started by sitting on the gound; holding the skateboard. With treats in hand Jessie knows that I want her to offer me something; she's not sure what but she will offer me something.
The first thing she always offers is a nose touch, I say nothing so she moves onto something else. She stares at me for a while; looking around for something to include in the behavior. Finally she touches the skateboard with her paw "Yes" and she is rewarded. Looking at me she tries it again "yes" and she gets her treat. Jessie is a very fast learner so I can move quickly through the steps.
I expect her to put a foot onto the board now, she does "yes" and treat. I typically only ask her to do one level 3 times before expecting more from her. So the next step is to get both front paws on the board. Every so often she wains from our goal and tries something else; you must give no reaction to these sideline attempts. With no feedback she returns to her first objective; to get treats.
Once she is putting two front feet on the board reliably; I want her to put four feet on the board. This takes much longer as dogs do not typical think about their back feet, they just always follow along, right? After waiting for several minutes of two feet up, distractions of trying something else and starring at me she finally gets up onto the board with four feet "yes" and treat.
So I have her getting on the board on cue now while I hold the board. Now she must learn to deal with movement and then she will be giving Tony Hawk a run for his money.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Happy Dogs and horses
Yesterday I had an amazing shoot, dog and horses. Deep in the canyon surrounded by nature and animals; what could be better. Well for this photographer with a passion for animals, nothing. Standing still, quietly taking in the surroundings and watching; it was beautiful. The animals were happy and I certainly was happy.
When I get the priviledge to shoot horses, I am thrilled. With my busy schedule shooting dogs it can be hard to fit all the animals in. But horses is something I'm hoping to change in the near future. In my opinion horses are one of the most beautiful animals you can photograph. They stand alone in an image and they are true natural beauty. They are very different from dogs to photograph; but a flawless subject to shoot.
So far all the dogs I have shot for my book have been very happy and content. You can see the bond they have with their guardian; being able to view this from the sidelines has been pretty impactful. When an animal; be it a dog, cat, pig or horse is in a good and happy place, the result is great photos.
This is the reason I love shooting where dogs are happiest; environmentally speaking that is. Right now my three dogs are very happy curled up together on my bed. Actually I have shot several dogs on their guardians beds and those were amazing photos. So having animals in their happy place produces wonderful images. The type of image that when you look at there is no denying that this is a happy dog.
The moments do arise rarely when a dog is just not comfortable having a giant black eye staring at them and that is when my behavior experience kicks in. At the first sign of uncomfortable I switch gears, take a break, put down my camera and sit on the ground with the dog.
A true passion.
When I get the priviledge to shoot horses, I am thrilled. With my busy schedule shooting dogs it can be hard to fit all the animals in. But horses is something I'm hoping to change in the near future. In my opinion horses are one of the most beautiful animals you can photograph. They stand alone in an image and they are true natural beauty. They are very different from dogs to photograph; but a flawless subject to shoot.
So far all the dogs I have shot for my book have been very happy and content. You can see the bond they have with their guardian; being able to view this from the sidelines has been pretty impactful. When an animal; be it a dog, cat, pig or horse is in a good and happy place, the result is great photos.
This is the reason I love shooting where dogs are happiest; environmentally speaking that is. Right now my three dogs are very happy curled up together on my bed. Actually I have shot several dogs on their guardians beds and those were amazing photos. So having animals in their happy place produces wonderful images. The type of image that when you look at there is no denying that this is a happy dog.
The moments do arise rarely when a dog is just not comfortable having a giant black eye staring at them and that is when my behavior experience kicks in. At the first sign of uncomfortable I switch gears, take a break, put down my camera and sit on the ground with the dog.
A true passion.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Oceans of dogs
I had several shoots yesterday and ended up at the dog beach in Huntington. I should have brought a chair; I could literally sit and watch dog beahavior at the beach for hours. I was there to try and get a particular shot; not easy when your models are there strictly for fun. So I did my best and got some great action and candid shots. I did add one more breed to my book as well.
There was one dog at the beach that stood out and could I have pulled it off: he would have been coming home with me. (just kidding) I couldn't stop smiling at this dog. I'd been at the beach probably 20 minutes when he arrived; at first I just saw a glimpse of him over the sand hill. I needed a closer look so up the hill again; and there he was, approx. all 4 lbs of him. He looked like a rough coated chihuahua; tiny, white and black and scruffy all over. Not only was he adorable in appearance he was adorable all over.
Many dogs are apprehensive about my camera; not this boy he came right up. He tried to reach my face to say hello by climbing into my lap, I was smitten. I don't like to shoot dogs unless I ask their guardians first so I yelled up to his. He told me that he found this little guy in a shelter and when they met him; this was him, friendly, happy and warm. Who wouldn't want to bring him home, I did and I had only just met him.
On one of his trips to my lap I asked him how anyone could dump a guy like him as he wriggled and soaked up the attention. How could someone dump any dog let alone such a tiny guy? My guess was he was from a pet store; someone fell in love at first sight but soon fell out of love when they discovered that there is work to having a dog. I can't imagine how cute this little guy must have been when he was a puppy, could he be any cuter than he already was?
So for the duration of my beach visit I was used as a safety net for this little guy. If he was feeling the least bit worried about his size and the other dogs he ran and dove into my lap. And every once in a while he would look up at me from his games and dive into my lap for a bit of attention. I have to admit I am a sucker for a little scruffy face and this was the smallest of scruffy faces I've seen in a while.
This little boy was definitely a diamond in the rough ;)
There was one dog at the beach that stood out and could I have pulled it off: he would have been coming home with me. (just kidding) I couldn't stop smiling at this dog. I'd been at the beach probably 20 minutes when he arrived; at first I just saw a glimpse of him over the sand hill. I needed a closer look so up the hill again; and there he was, approx. all 4 lbs of him. He looked like a rough coated chihuahua; tiny, white and black and scruffy all over. Not only was he adorable in appearance he was adorable all over.
Many dogs are apprehensive about my camera; not this boy he came right up. He tried to reach my face to say hello by climbing into my lap, I was smitten. I don't like to shoot dogs unless I ask their guardians first so I yelled up to his. He told me that he found this little guy in a shelter and when they met him; this was him, friendly, happy and warm. Who wouldn't want to bring him home, I did and I had only just met him.
On one of his trips to my lap I asked him how anyone could dump a guy like him as he wriggled and soaked up the attention. How could someone dump any dog let alone such a tiny guy? My guess was he was from a pet store; someone fell in love at first sight but soon fell out of love when they discovered that there is work to having a dog. I can't imagine how cute this little guy must have been when he was a puppy, could he be any cuter than he already was?
So for the duration of my beach visit I was used as a safety net for this little guy. If he was feeling the least bit worried about his size and the other dogs he ran and dove into my lap. And every once in a while he would look up at me from his games and dive into my lap for a bit of attention. I have to admit I am a sucker for a little scruffy face and this was the smallest of scruffy faces I've seen in a while.
This little boy was definitely a diamond in the rough ;)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Puzzling behavior
We have some weird stuff going on. I think I've discussed this a bit lately but it seems to be getting worse. If I go out at night for any reason I have been coming home to a frenzied pack of dogs. Tilley is by far the most distraught and I have been puzzled as to what exactly is going on. My dogs have never been the kind to stress about us going out; they are very use to it. Being that I am a trainer and photographer I'm pretty much in and out all day long.
Lastnight as my husband and I were getting ready to go to the book store Tilley started to display some odd behavior. She was obviously stressed about something; she couldn't settle and kept looking at us like NOOOOOO don't go; weird. I made sure that all of the windows were closed so if they did decide to go into a barking frenzy that I wasn't going to have my neighbors at the door when I got home.
As we exited the house we locked the door and waited. We have a window in the front door so we could peek at what was happening at least at the front door. Jessie and Tilley immediately ran upstairs and the barking began. I had no idea that it started so soon; and again I was puzzled. Listening carefully I could hear that it was Jessie; what the heck was she barking at?
So we quietly opened the door and I snuck upstairs, there she was in my room just barking. I don't know what she is barking at but this is my take on what is going on. She is short; so short that she cannot get up onto our new King sized bed. She wants up on the bed so that she can get to the jar of cookies on my night table. She is frustrated that the poodles can both get up there so; she is barking. I cannot be sure that this is what is going on but I'm sure going to figure this out.
The very fast and easy solution lastnight was to put Jessie in her crate. When we came home both Tilley and Luke were relaxed and asleep downstairs. Whatever is going on it is stressing Tilley out; not good. Tilley is such a good dog that this type of bad behavior is enough to drive her over the edge; she just cannot handle it. She may have even attempted to stop Jessie as she tends to do if she feels the need, and the result of that will be that Jessie will end up getting hurt.
We will be executing an investigation; I will sneakily hide and we will pretend that we are all going out. I don't know if I can pull this off but I have to try to see if what I think is going on; is in fact going on. Little pig that Jessie is I'm assuming that it is all about food. We'll see; and I will let you know if I'm correct in my assumption.
Lastnight as my husband and I were getting ready to go to the book store Tilley started to display some odd behavior. She was obviously stressed about something; she couldn't settle and kept looking at us like NOOOOOO don't go; weird. I made sure that all of the windows were closed so if they did decide to go into a barking frenzy that I wasn't going to have my neighbors at the door when I got home.
As we exited the house we locked the door and waited. We have a window in the front door so we could peek at what was happening at least at the front door. Jessie and Tilley immediately ran upstairs and the barking began. I had no idea that it started so soon; and again I was puzzled. Listening carefully I could hear that it was Jessie; what the heck was she barking at?
So we quietly opened the door and I snuck upstairs, there she was in my room just barking. I don't know what she is barking at but this is my take on what is going on. She is short; so short that she cannot get up onto our new King sized bed. She wants up on the bed so that she can get to the jar of cookies on my night table. She is frustrated that the poodles can both get up there so; she is barking. I cannot be sure that this is what is going on but I'm sure going to figure this out.
The very fast and easy solution lastnight was to put Jessie in her crate. When we came home both Tilley and Luke were relaxed and asleep downstairs. Whatever is going on it is stressing Tilley out; not good. Tilley is such a good dog that this type of bad behavior is enough to drive her over the edge; she just cannot handle it. She may have even attempted to stop Jessie as she tends to do if she feels the need, and the result of that will be that Jessie will end up getting hurt.
We will be executing an investigation; I will sneakily hide and we will pretend that we are all going out. I don't know if I can pull this off but I have to try to see if what I think is going on; is in fact going on. Little pig that Jessie is I'm assuming that it is all about food. We'll see; and I will let you know if I'm correct in my assumption.
Monday, April 21, 2008
The calm before the storm
This is a very quiet morning leading up to a very busy week. I have a ton of shoots this week and this weekend will hopefully be back to back shoots so to finish up my one book. It has been a ton of work, loved almost every second of it. We had a very uneventful weekend, the poodles and the JRT were pooped lastnight and recooperating while we watched the Ducks get kicked out of the finals, sad but true.
I had Jessie out on a walk; a long walk yesterday afternoon. She was in fine form and ready to rumble with anyone who looked her way. Funny somedays she is the perfect angel and somedays; not. We saw a snake on our walk; I still have not been able to find out what type it was. It was black with some red; I can't remember where the red was as it slithered away very quickly. Jessie of course triggered to the movement; she was just about on top of it when it decided that she was too close. I think at the sametime that I triggered she actually moved away but I can't be sure because my yank reflex kicked immediately.
Maybe it was the snake that got her fired up, before the snake we met a family of four tiny, furry dogs; Jessie's arch enemies since being attacked several times by this type of dog. But she was fine, she gave them the eye but that was it. It is difficult not to signal impending incidents when you must walk very close to another dog. Of course you have to reign your dog in; which in turn gives them a heads up and mixed signals. So this is probably the culprit for Jessie's firey exhibits. Too close, tight leash, and communications signals being messed up.
People always seem to be so shocked when she displays; she looks like such a cutie. On the other hand I have brought her into a dog park several times when people could be heard saying "oh no, a Jack Russell." So some people know about these feisty little guys, some have yet to learn about a Jack Russell's tenacity. There are some breeds of terriers that are not as feisty but many are well known as Terrors.
Even today; you may still see sparring in the show ring. This is when a judge will two handlers to face their terriers towards each other. They want to see that they are little spitfires; although this is a bit shocking in todays world. It would be nice to see them loosing a bit of this tenacity towards other dogs.
Don't get me wrong though, Jessie is a great Jack Russell. She definitely has a leash aggression issue, being that she is a terrier but off leash she is pretty civil; as long as the other dog knows that she is the reigning queen and bows down to every wish. ;)
I had Jessie out on a walk; a long walk yesterday afternoon. She was in fine form and ready to rumble with anyone who looked her way. Funny somedays she is the perfect angel and somedays; not. We saw a snake on our walk; I still have not been able to find out what type it was. It was black with some red; I can't remember where the red was as it slithered away very quickly. Jessie of course triggered to the movement; she was just about on top of it when it decided that she was too close. I think at the sametime that I triggered she actually moved away but I can't be sure because my yank reflex kicked immediately.
Maybe it was the snake that got her fired up, before the snake we met a family of four tiny, furry dogs; Jessie's arch enemies since being attacked several times by this type of dog. But she was fine, she gave them the eye but that was it. It is difficult not to signal impending incidents when you must walk very close to another dog. Of course you have to reign your dog in; which in turn gives them a heads up and mixed signals. So this is probably the culprit for Jessie's firey exhibits. Too close, tight leash, and communications signals being messed up.
People always seem to be so shocked when she displays; she looks like such a cutie. On the other hand I have brought her into a dog park several times when people could be heard saying "oh no, a Jack Russell." So some people know about these feisty little guys, some have yet to learn about a Jack Russell's tenacity. There are some breeds of terriers that are not as feisty but many are well known as Terrors.
Even today; you may still see sparring in the show ring. This is when a judge will two handlers to face their terriers towards each other. They want to see that they are little spitfires; although this is a bit shocking in todays world. It would be nice to see them loosing a bit of this tenacity towards other dogs.
Don't get me wrong though, Jessie is a great Jack Russell. She definitely has a leash aggression issue, being that she is a terrier but off leash she is pretty civil; as long as the other dog knows that she is the reigning queen and bows down to every wish. ;)
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Frustration
Good morning, seeing that we have been dealing with a frustrating situation with our cable provider combinded with lack of a solution of late I thought that frustration would be a good topic for this mornings blog. As a dog trainer it is something that you must watch for, for the untrained or unexperienced it may go unnoticed. Frustration comes in many forms and when it is a dog that is becoming frustrated it may present itself in a hidden form.
Frustration is typical in training; sometimes it is hard for our dogs to "get it," and a dog will become frustrated. If what you are doing is not working; you much switch gears or move on. A very good example is when you are teaching a new puppy, using a food reward of course. Most puppies just want the treat; if they have to wait too long for the treat they will start to exhibit some unwanted behaviors like jumping, whining or biting. So what do you do if your dog becomes frustrated?
The solution to this problem is to break a behavior down into baby steps. For some dogs the whole picture may be too much to undertake so breaking say a down or leave it into tiny doable pieces makes it easier to "get it." So although the goal may be to have your dog lay down, you start rewarding them for lowering their head, then their neck and head, then for putting one foot out, then slightly lowering their body until they are in a down position. Once you get to the final goal your dog will probably have an "ah ha moment."
Again patience plays a huge factor in the learning curve.
Frustration is typical in training; sometimes it is hard for our dogs to "get it," and a dog will become frustrated. If what you are doing is not working; you much switch gears or move on. A very good example is when you are teaching a new puppy, using a food reward of course. Most puppies just want the treat; if they have to wait too long for the treat they will start to exhibit some unwanted behaviors like jumping, whining or biting. So what do you do if your dog becomes frustrated?
The solution to this problem is to break a behavior down into baby steps. For some dogs the whole picture may be too much to undertake so breaking say a down or leave it into tiny doable pieces makes it easier to "get it." So although the goal may be to have your dog lay down, you start rewarding them for lowering their head, then their neck and head, then for putting one foot out, then slightly lowering their body until they are in a down position. Once you get to the final goal your dog will probably have an "ah ha moment."
Again patience plays a huge factor in the learning curve.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Living in a human world
Call it training or life coaching or obedience but it is all the same bundled into the fact that we as humans need to educate our canine companions about living in our world. We don't lead the sames lives and so dogs must learn how to live in our world. I am a huge believer of allowing and ensuring that our dogs have a great dog life; but to make sure this happens they must learn how to live appropriately in ours.
Having a dog in your life is a huge responsibility; one that should not be taken lightly. You are their companion, educator, leader, protector and caregiver. That's a big job; so what does all of that encompass? Educating and guidance is the biggest job, call it whatever you like but basically it is teaching our dogs to act approriately in our world and to do behaviors on cue; and yes it is very important for all dogs. I don't care if you have a huge Great Dane or a tiny tea cup maltese they all need to learn certain behaviors along with what is and is not appropriate behavior.
You cannot be wishy washy about it; they must learn certain behaviors so that we can communicate with them. You cannot always rely on the fact that your dog is really cute and well behaved. What if your dog slips their leash? Do you panic? What if you would like to leave your dog in a spot at the beach and go talk to someone without your dog; would they stay?
There are several behaviors that are a must for all dogs. Sit is the first and most basic; down, as in laying down is very useful, stay is a must, come is an absolute essential, boundary training can be life saving and as many other verbal cues that you can teach them. The more you teach your dog the easier it is to teach them. The more verbal cues that your dog understands the easier it is for you to communicate to them.
Teaching dogs a human vocabulary is also very important. You should hear me all day long with my dogs; I speak to them constantly. And because of this they understand alot of what I am saying. They may not understand an entire sentence but they get the general idea of what my sentence means. Dogs pick out the words from a sentence that they understand, you can see them listening for those ones that they recognize.
Physical control should not be needed on a day to day basis. You should be able to control your dog without physical contact; if you cannot then you have not done near enough work. I hate collar grabs; everyone has to do it at some point but relying on a collar grab is just wrong. Give them a few lessons on how to act appropriately and you won't be tempted to grab so much.
All dogs are different, just like all people are different. But, all dogs deserve and education. How much education really depends on their human. Education does not have to be a structured event; learning in a fun and relaxed atmosphere is much more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Even as my dogs are in their senior years I still like to keep them on their toes; its good for them. I will do a long down stay, make invisible boundaries that cannot be crossed and try new behaviors that we have not already learned. There is no limit to what you can teach your dog and NEVER, EVER use their breed or mix of breeds as an excuse not to teach your dog.
Your dogs lack of "getting it," is your lack of "delivering it."
Having a dog in your life is a huge responsibility; one that should not be taken lightly. You are their companion, educator, leader, protector and caregiver. That's a big job; so what does all of that encompass? Educating and guidance is the biggest job, call it whatever you like but basically it is teaching our dogs to act approriately in our world and to do behaviors on cue; and yes it is very important for all dogs. I don't care if you have a huge Great Dane or a tiny tea cup maltese they all need to learn certain behaviors along with what is and is not appropriate behavior.
You cannot be wishy washy about it; they must learn certain behaviors so that we can communicate with them. You cannot always rely on the fact that your dog is really cute and well behaved. What if your dog slips their leash? Do you panic? What if you would like to leave your dog in a spot at the beach and go talk to someone without your dog; would they stay?
There are several behaviors that are a must for all dogs. Sit is the first and most basic; down, as in laying down is very useful, stay is a must, come is an absolute essential, boundary training can be life saving and as many other verbal cues that you can teach them. The more you teach your dog the easier it is to teach them. The more verbal cues that your dog understands the easier it is for you to communicate to them.
Teaching dogs a human vocabulary is also very important. You should hear me all day long with my dogs; I speak to them constantly. And because of this they understand alot of what I am saying. They may not understand an entire sentence but they get the general idea of what my sentence means. Dogs pick out the words from a sentence that they understand, you can see them listening for those ones that they recognize.
Physical control should not be needed on a day to day basis. You should be able to control your dog without physical contact; if you cannot then you have not done near enough work. I hate collar grabs; everyone has to do it at some point but relying on a collar grab is just wrong. Give them a few lessons on how to act appropriately and you won't be tempted to grab so much.
All dogs are different, just like all people are different. But, all dogs deserve and education. How much education really depends on their human. Education does not have to be a structured event; learning in a fun and relaxed atmosphere is much more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Even as my dogs are in their senior years I still like to keep them on their toes; its good for them. I will do a long down stay, make invisible boundaries that cannot be crossed and try new behaviors that we have not already learned. There is no limit to what you can teach your dog and NEVER, EVER use their breed or mix of breeds as an excuse not to teach your dog.
Your dogs lack of "getting it," is your lack of "delivering it."
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Thursday's face
Good morning, it's 5 something and way too early to be awake. I tend to consider the appropriate time of waking to be when the sun is up. It doesn't have to be fully up but it should definitely be making an appearance; getting up while it is still dark goes against everything my body tells me. And I have to say that my dogs agree as they have not budged from their beds this morning. Typically they will join us in our bed once they wake up enough to leave theirs; but they are all still in sleep mode.
I had several shoots yesterday which means that today I will be working on those photos. The face, its all in the face for me. My absolute favorite part of shooting dogs is capturing expression. Sometimes that expression is a lack there of; like my little Jack Russell Jessie. When she gets in the car to go anywhere she gets her travel face on; which is the lack of expression. Its funny but a nothing face is her travel face.
A dogs expression changes so quickly that I often don't even know what I've captured until I get home and see it on "the big screen." Often I can be heard saying OMG as I flip through my new images. Body position is cute and can make a shot but facial expression is truly everything. It takes the eyes, ears and mouth to complete the expression. Quite a while back I was doing a shoot with Jessie and a piece of cake; the entire set up was on the kitchen table. Ah yes Jessie on the kitchen table with a piece of cake; great idea Sherri.
So as I was shooting Jessie's expression which was caused by the fact that there was a piece of cake infront of her; one of my other dogs appeared. He was hovering around the cake; this is when the real magic happened. I could see that she was much more serious now that someone else might get the cake but I didn't know that she was quite so serious. I captured a lip curl which I had missed with my camera eye; it was a great capture.
Doing portrait type work can be tough; it is extremely important to have a "good expression," on the dog. Guardians who are intuned with their dogs know each and every "face," so if their dog is stressed, frustrated or just plain not happy they are going to see it in the image. Sometimes it can be difficult to have a dog relaxed enough to get a good face let alone a great face. That is where patience factors in, patience, patience, patience. It truly is a virtue when you consider the alternative.
I had several shoots yesterday which means that today I will be working on those photos. The face, its all in the face for me. My absolute favorite part of shooting dogs is capturing expression. Sometimes that expression is a lack there of; like my little Jack Russell Jessie. When she gets in the car to go anywhere she gets her travel face on; which is the lack of expression. Its funny but a nothing face is her travel face.
A dogs expression changes so quickly that I often don't even know what I've captured until I get home and see it on "the big screen." Often I can be heard saying OMG as I flip through my new images. Body position is cute and can make a shot but facial expression is truly everything. It takes the eyes, ears and mouth to complete the expression. Quite a while back I was doing a shoot with Jessie and a piece of cake; the entire set up was on the kitchen table. Ah yes Jessie on the kitchen table with a piece of cake; great idea Sherri.
So as I was shooting Jessie's expression which was caused by the fact that there was a piece of cake infront of her; one of my other dogs appeared. He was hovering around the cake; this is when the real magic happened. I could see that she was much more serious now that someone else might get the cake but I didn't know that she was quite so serious. I captured a lip curl which I had missed with my camera eye; it was a great capture.
Doing portrait type work can be tough; it is extremely important to have a "good expression," on the dog. Guardians who are intuned with their dogs know each and every "face," so if their dog is stressed, frustrated or just plain not happy they are going to see it in the image. Sometimes it can be difficult to have a dog relaxed enough to get a good face let alone a great face. That is where patience factors in, patience, patience, patience. It truly is a virtue when you consider the alternative.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The Past and moving on
This is Clyde; one of the greatest loves of my life. Just recently I was excited that not only did I have a new computer but I have a scanner which means I get to put old photos on my computer. This photo is old; yes but my husband came home with it lastnight. He had found a bunch of old dog photos on his laptop and thought he better put them on a cd before they were gone.
So here he is; Clyde. This is one of my favorite photos of him. He is about 11 in this photo, the same age that Tilley is now. Just looking at the photo brings tears to my eyes; not sad tears but tears of recognition. This dog had such an impact on my life, he lived through alot of change.
Clyde was an amazing dog; and he really was the one who sealed the deal with males and me. I love male dogs; there is just something special about them and the relationship they have with their female guardians. Well, maybe not all dogs or guardians but definitely me. He is the reason I carry a special spot in my heart for the boys.
When I think back to my life with Clyde I cannot remember a time when he wasn't right there by my side. He was a constant companion; no matter where I was or what I was doing. When a dog touches your life like this; with so much influence on your past, you hold that memory inside for a lifetime. I have often mistakenly call Luke; Clyde. Not that they are alike in anyway; infact they could not be more different in personality.
No one can truly understand what a dog means or meant to you. Your relationship is a personal one, one to be cherished and stored away in your memory. These memories can be drawn upon at a moments notice; and these memories are what help you to move on.
Clyde is quietly with me still; he was, is and always will be a part of me. I miss him dearly.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Kids and dogs
Kids and dogs are a hot topic for me; one that treads on a thin line between meant to be and a disaster waiting to happen. Having been at the Pet Expo for several hours on Friday just reminds me of how much lack of "dog knowledge" many parents have and teach their children. Being a Mom myself; and admittedly an over protective Mom at that; there are many kid/dog interactions that make me shutter. As a dog trainer I have witnessed many incidents that shocked me.
It is the humans responsibility to educate our children about what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior with dogs. Far too often I hear the phrase "she is going to bite you." If you think your dog is being pushed to her limit and will eventually bite your child; things are not as they should be. Leaving the disciplining up to your dog is a very big mistake. If you do not teach your child how to treat your dog appropriately then you risk your childs safety in many ways. One with the fact that your own dog may bite your child and two; you have not taught your child how to treat other dogs who have the potential of biting them as well.
By leaving your dog in charge of discipline you also are not protecting your dog; that's where the defense mechanism comes in. If your dog feels the need to protect herself she will; which could result in her biting, which could end her in a bad situation. Almost all dogs give warning signs; your dog may have given your child many already. But children are care free and if they have not been taught then they either don't listen to the warning or simply don't care. Your dog will then be forced to up the warning until she can stand no more.
Dogs use sound and body language to communicate; it is important to watch closely. I have been in many homes when my protective instinct has hit and I have had to sit the parents down and give it to them straight. Even the best of dogs will bite; you can never say "my dog would never." SUPERVISION AND EDUCATION is a must with children and dogs. To strictly rely on the "my dog would never," idea and leave your child and dogs unsupervised is a dangerous situation indeed.
Watching small children reach over gates at the Pet Expo where they were met face to face by a strange dog had me on high altert. I cannot believe the amount of people who have not taught their children not to pet or hug before asking. EDUCATE AND SUPERVISE.
It is the humans responsibility to educate our children about what is appropriate and inappropriate behavior with dogs. Far too often I hear the phrase "she is going to bite you." If you think your dog is being pushed to her limit and will eventually bite your child; things are not as they should be. Leaving the disciplining up to your dog is a very big mistake. If you do not teach your child how to treat your dog appropriately then you risk your childs safety in many ways. One with the fact that your own dog may bite your child and two; you have not taught your child how to treat other dogs who have the potential of biting them as well.
By leaving your dog in charge of discipline you also are not protecting your dog; that's where the defense mechanism comes in. If your dog feels the need to protect herself she will; which could result in her biting, which could end her in a bad situation. Almost all dogs give warning signs; your dog may have given your child many already. But children are care free and if they have not been taught then they either don't listen to the warning or simply don't care. Your dog will then be forced to up the warning until she can stand no more.
Dogs use sound and body language to communicate; it is important to watch closely. I have been in many homes when my protective instinct has hit and I have had to sit the parents down and give it to them straight. Even the best of dogs will bite; you can never say "my dog would never." SUPERVISION AND EDUCATION is a must with children and dogs. To strictly rely on the "my dog would never," idea and leave your child and dogs unsupervised is a dangerous situation indeed.
Watching small children reach over gates at the Pet Expo where they were met face to face by a strange dog had me on high altert. I cannot believe the amount of people who have not taught their children not to pet or hug before asking. EDUCATE AND SUPERVISE.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Cutie
So what is it about a Jack Russell that makes people smile? We took Jessie down to the beach lastnight; just her. It is special for her to go out alone because she is the Alpha dog of the house. At almost 12 years old she still makes people smile. I always have people approach me asking "how old is your puppy?" When I tell them that she is almost 12 they think I mean weeks.I guess the fact that people think she is a puppy is quite a compliment. I wish someone would mistake me for a 30 year old, not likely.
Anyhow people are shocked that she is not a puppy and then double shocked that it is not 12 months but is infact 12 years. It is a miracle that Jessie is still with us actually because of the ordeal she went through 6 years ago.
http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss13p16.shtml
So at nearly 12 she is looking very good for her age. The only sign that she is any older at all is the fact that she is very good, hey she is a Jack Russell. And she likes to lay in the sun a little more than she use to. Other than that there is nothing that gives any hint of her age.She is always ready for a rumble; infact lastnight a couple of dogs challenged her at the beach and she was more than ready to kick sand in their face. She makes me smile at her confident, tough attitude.
Anyhow people are shocked that she is not a puppy and then double shocked that it is not 12 months but is infact 12 years. It is a miracle that Jessie is still with us actually because of the ordeal she went through 6 years ago.
http://www.k9magazinefree.com/k9_perspective/iss13p16.shtml
So at nearly 12 she is looking very good for her age. The only sign that she is any older at all is the fact that she is very good, hey she is a Jack Russell. And she likes to lay in the sun a little more than she use to. Other than that there is nothing that gives any hint of her age.She is always ready for a rumble; infact lastnight a couple of dogs challenged her at the beach and she was more than ready to kick sand in their face. She makes me smile at her confident, tough attitude.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Faux Hawks and heat
I just finished clipping Tilley again; she has such a tight, thick coat that she really feels the heat. Even when it is only an inch long she suffers so off it came. Just as I was heading outside my son asked me to PLEASE give her a Mohawk, Faux hawk to be exact. Ah what the heck, I can shave it off after he enjoys his poodle sporting a faux hawk for a while. Well, its not coming off anytime soon; it looks adorable.
I have decided that as soon as Luke has enough coat; he will be sporting a faux hawk as well. Then I will take the two down to the beach as see what happens. No one knows that my guys are poodles, with no familiar pom poms people are truly baffled. Just last week my husband got asked if they were Weimaraners, ah no. I have taken some photos of Tilley and will post them as soon as I get them onto my computer.
Its hot today; up around the 100 degree mark; which is just plain to hot. I'm so glad I made it to the pet Expo on Friday when it was only in the 80s. I feel for all those folks and the dogs who sat through this heat today. The temps are suppose to go back down to around the 70s tomorrow but those high temps are just around the corner for us. I really have to finish my book before we are in the full throws of summer.
I have decided that as soon as Luke has enough coat; he will be sporting a faux hawk as well. Then I will take the two down to the beach as see what happens. No one knows that my guys are poodles, with no familiar pom poms people are truly baffled. Just last week my husband got asked if they were Weimaraners, ah no. I have taken some photos of Tilley and will post them as soon as I get them onto my computer.
Its hot today; up around the 100 degree mark; which is just plain to hot. I'm so glad I made it to the pet Expo on Friday when it was only in the 80s. I feel for all those folks and the dogs who sat through this heat today. The temps are suppose to go back down to around the 70s tomorrow but those high temps are just around the corner for us. I really have to finish my book before we are in the full throws of summer.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Pot Roast and dog stuff
I spent approx. 3 hours at the Pet Expo yesterday; it was pretty hot but nothing like it is going to be today. I'd probably be going back if it wasn't going to be so hot. I was there to shoot a couple of different dogs and I had fun shooting the Dock Diving dogs. There is quite a knack to getting a great shot of these flying water dogs. You really cannot predict what they will do and sometimes they are just so fast you miss them entirely. So out of a ton of shots only a handful turned out great. But one is amazing and to me one out of a hundred is worth shooting the hundred.
I briefly visited the adoption buildings; it was heartbreaking and mind boggling how there can be so many. But there were also alot of people there obviously looking to bring someone home with them which is great. So many breeds are represented at this function; people really have a chance to learn about some cool dogs from really dedicated breeders and rescuers.
So this morning we slept in, 7 o'clock is sleeping in for us. I went down to get the coffee and remembered I had put meat on for the dogs lastnight. I placed three 2 1/2 lb london broils in my slow cooker. The thing with the slow cooker is that you don't smell the food cooking until you unlatch the lid so that's how I had forgotten. It smelled amazing when I lift the lid; it is cooking in organic chicken broth. I have rice that I cooked lastnight for them and they will have tomatos and green beans with it.
I'm telling you, it smells amazing first thing in the morning. I might just join them in their delicious feast.
I briefly visited the adoption buildings; it was heartbreaking and mind boggling how there can be so many. But there were also alot of people there obviously looking to bring someone home with them which is great. So many breeds are represented at this function; people really have a chance to learn about some cool dogs from really dedicated breeders and rescuers.
So this morning we slept in, 7 o'clock is sleeping in for us. I went down to get the coffee and remembered I had put meat on for the dogs lastnight. I placed three 2 1/2 lb london broils in my slow cooker. The thing with the slow cooker is that you don't smell the food cooking until you unlatch the lid so that's how I had forgotten. It smelled amazing when I lift the lid; it is cooking in organic chicken broth. I have rice that I cooked lastnight for them and they will have tomatos and green beans with it.
I'm telling you, it smells amazing first thing in the morning. I might just join them in their delicious feast.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Pet Expo 2008
I'm off to the Pet Expo this morning early; in hopes of beating the crowds. A couple of years ago I attended the same event on Friday and Sunday. The Friday wasn't too, too bad but Sunday was crazy. It is a huge event with all animals represented but you know where I will be. Unfortunately it is suppose to heat up; so I don't know how long into the afternoon I'll be staying.
The event is all about representing; so all the people there representing their breed are more than happy to share information on their breeds. There will be breeds that are common and the ones that are rare; there might even be something I hadn't seen before. The last event that I attended I met my first Klee Kai (tiny siberian husky).
There is dock diving set up which I would love to bring Tilley to but with my camera and shooting its tough to drag her around all day, especially in the heat so she' ll stay at home with her bed buddies. There is also an "adoption" area set up with all the rescue groups from around the area there with dogs. I hope alot of these dogs find homes this year; I'll have to see how many got new homes from last years event.
There is of course a vendor section which I'll have a look at. Last time there was a booth that sold amazingly beautiful log bunkbeds for dogs. They were gorgeous; wish I could afford one or two. So I see if there is anything new out there for our dogs that might be great; I'll probably bring home a toy or two for my guys. And hopefully I will get lots of great images.
Have a great weekend all.
The event is all about representing; so all the people there representing their breed are more than happy to share information on their breeds. There will be breeds that are common and the ones that are rare; there might even be something I hadn't seen before. The last event that I attended I met my first Klee Kai (tiny siberian husky).
There is dock diving set up which I would love to bring Tilley to but with my camera and shooting its tough to drag her around all day, especially in the heat so she' ll stay at home with her bed buddies. There is also an "adoption" area set up with all the rescue groups from around the area there with dogs. I hope alot of these dogs find homes this year; I'll have to see how many got new homes from last years event.
There is of course a vendor section which I'll have a look at. Last time there was a booth that sold amazingly beautiful log bunkbeds for dogs. They were gorgeous; wish I could afford one or two. So I see if there is anything new out there for our dogs that might be great; I'll probably bring home a toy or two for my guys. And hopefully I will get lots of great images.
Have a great weekend all.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Busy Wed.
What a busy day it was yesterday. I started my morning early at the grocery store. I've decided to keep an eye on the meat sales instead of relying on the hit and miss method of getting meat at great prices for my dogs. I stocked up on London Broil which here in CA is a less than tender piece of beef. $1.99/lb which is a great piece for meat that is not ground. Now I've seen one of my favorite health food stores has chicken on for .99/lb so that's where I'm headed today.
After the grocery store and then feeding the dogs it was on the computer to work on both of my books. I am caught up with all my photos and just about done my training book. I really cannot wait to have both done so I can move onto my new projects.
The afternoon and into the early evening was filled with 4 back to back shoots. Everything ran smoothly albeit a bit of expect SoCal traffic to deal with. But all the dogs did wonderfully and I loved chatting with all the guardians; what a great job I have.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, mid 60s; my kind of weather. But, we are in for heat tomorrow and over the weekend. Today is suppose to be 75 then moving up to 83 Friday and over the weekend. The beach goers will love it. I'm so glad that I have a new set of clippers because Tilley is already due for another hair cut. I'm sure it will be done in a flash which will be far from the old method of struggling through the hair.
I will be spending the better part of tomorrow at the Pet Expo at the OC Fair Grounds so anyone in the area; don't forget it is on this weekend if you want to attend.
After the grocery store and then feeding the dogs it was on the computer to work on both of my books. I am caught up with all my photos and just about done my training book. I really cannot wait to have both done so I can move onto my new projects.
The afternoon and into the early evening was filled with 4 back to back shoots. Everything ran smoothly albeit a bit of expect SoCal traffic to deal with. But all the dogs did wonderfully and I loved chatting with all the guardians; what a great job I have.
Yesterday was a beautiful day, mid 60s; my kind of weather. But, we are in for heat tomorrow and over the weekend. Today is suppose to be 75 then moving up to 83 Friday and over the weekend. The beach goers will love it. I'm so glad that I have a new set of clippers because Tilley is already due for another hair cut. I'm sure it will be done in a flash which will be far from the old method of struggling through the hair.
I will be spending the better part of tomorrow at the Pet Expo at the OC Fair Grounds so anyone in the area; don't forget it is on this weekend if you want to attend.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Leash Aggression
Leash aggression is a very common problem. Two out of my three dogs have it; although with Jessie it is not such a big change in her behavior when she is on leash. Many people complain that their dogs display so aggressively that they are embarrassed to walk their dog. It is uncomfortable when your dog is acting like they are trying to kill another dog. Let alone trying to convince the other guardian that your dog is indeed friendly. Yep; been there.
So why do dogs react differently off leash versus on? There are many things that factor into the change that occurs in their behavior. Communication is the biggy; our dogs loose their ability to communicate freely when they are on a leash. When dogs approach each other off leash they are communicating the entire time. If you go to a park or dog beach where they can run freely and watch carefully you will see it. Restrained by a leash this cannot happen so anxiety rises in some dogs.
Communication is also messed up by a leash. A dog that may want to approach your dog may strain at their leash making them go up onto their toes; which is a dominant gesture. They hadn't meant to give off this message but the leash is causing it. Being restrained causes the "let me at him" message. Whining, barking, jumping and growling can all be caused by not having the freedom to approach.
A protectiveness can kick into gear as well; not with all dogs but many. If a dog is off leash they tend to move away from their guardian. But when they are very close to their guardian they tend to be a little protective over their one and only. My dogs do it; when I was at the dog beach I was petting a very cute little dog. Luke immediately came over to make sure that this dog knew that I was "his" person. He wasn't aggressive about it; just pushy.
And the real issue to deal with is the humans, yep we make matters worse by our reactive behavior. Pulling on the lead and getting all tensed up tells our dogs that this is a stressful situation. So what may start out as a small issue snowballs into a monster very quickly. You need to relax; you are not alone. So many people have the same problem. Just yesterday I passed a couple with two very cute Boston terriers who were displaying to Jessie like mad. What a ton of noise; and Jessie is not one to take a challenge lightly, nope. So I just smiled as we passed; asked Jessie to chill out and she did just that. Had I reeled her in close to me; things would have gotten much worse.
Bring treats on your walk; teach your dog that walking past other dogs is a great thing. Luke use to be very reactive to walking past other dogs; now it is a rare occurance. Luke loves to catch so when we would see another dog I would immediately relax and get him to catch treats. Engaging your dogs helps them and you; it is hard to two things at once so if you are already involved in an activity it is much less likely that either of you will be able to do things like stress about another dog. No tugging on the leash, no change in pace; nothing to make him feel that this was a bad situation. Your behavior makes a huge impact on your dogs behavior.
Leash aggression is a fallout of our leashed society. Of course we cannot have dogs running everywhere; but we can lessen the blow of being on leash by relaxing. Lead by example; chill out.
So why do dogs react differently off leash versus on? There are many things that factor into the change that occurs in their behavior. Communication is the biggy; our dogs loose their ability to communicate freely when they are on a leash. When dogs approach each other off leash they are communicating the entire time. If you go to a park or dog beach where they can run freely and watch carefully you will see it. Restrained by a leash this cannot happen so anxiety rises in some dogs.
Communication is also messed up by a leash. A dog that may want to approach your dog may strain at their leash making them go up onto their toes; which is a dominant gesture. They hadn't meant to give off this message but the leash is causing it. Being restrained causes the "let me at him" message. Whining, barking, jumping and growling can all be caused by not having the freedom to approach.
A protectiveness can kick into gear as well; not with all dogs but many. If a dog is off leash they tend to move away from their guardian. But when they are very close to their guardian they tend to be a little protective over their one and only. My dogs do it; when I was at the dog beach I was petting a very cute little dog. Luke immediately came over to make sure that this dog knew that I was "his" person. He wasn't aggressive about it; just pushy.
And the real issue to deal with is the humans, yep we make matters worse by our reactive behavior. Pulling on the lead and getting all tensed up tells our dogs that this is a stressful situation. So what may start out as a small issue snowballs into a monster very quickly. You need to relax; you are not alone. So many people have the same problem. Just yesterday I passed a couple with two very cute Boston terriers who were displaying to Jessie like mad. What a ton of noise; and Jessie is not one to take a challenge lightly, nope. So I just smiled as we passed; asked Jessie to chill out and she did just that. Had I reeled her in close to me; things would have gotten much worse.
Bring treats on your walk; teach your dog that walking past other dogs is a great thing. Luke use to be very reactive to walking past other dogs; now it is a rare occurance. Luke loves to catch so when we would see another dog I would immediately relax and get him to catch treats. Engaging your dogs helps them and you; it is hard to two things at once so if you are already involved in an activity it is much less likely that either of you will be able to do things like stress about another dog. No tugging on the leash, no change in pace; nothing to make him feel that this was a bad situation. Your behavior makes a huge impact on your dogs behavior.
Leash aggression is a fallout of our leashed society. Of course we cannot have dogs running everywhere; but we can lessen the blow of being on leash by relaxing. Lead by example; chill out.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Luke is on the mend
Well after a day of rest Luke is limping less; although he does tend to kick into action as soon as he is feeling the slightest bit better which is not good. When my husband got home lastnight Luke was sent into a crazy bounding frenzy which was definitely not good for his leg but it is hard to stop him. The greatest excitement to Luke is when Jessie starts getting excited and barking so then his attention is on her and the chase is on. She knows this and is always ready. She does not like when he goes after her and throws her small body at him with her teeth fully exposed. Lastnight I said if I could just get a shot of that.
It is quite a sight; just picture a 27" (at the shoulders) blonde standard poodle running and bounding like a crazy person. Now picture a 12 3/4" jack russell in mid air connecting with his face. Jessie's hair is all up; down her back and her lips are pulled back to add emphasize to the hit. I don't know if I'll ever have my camera ready at the precise moment but I'm going to start thinking about it for sure; it would be a great shot.
So today will be another day of rest and when Luke does start getting back at it; it will be on leash. Luke walks on the Easy Walker from Premier. He is by far one of the worst pulling dogs that I have ever come across. He is reactive which basically means when he displays emotion it is tenfold. No matter what the emotion is; it is bigger than a regular dog so when he is excited he pulls and he pulls hard. Often the pulling is accompanied with whining; sometimes extreme whining.
So, I was sent this harness from Premier to give it a try. They sent me an XL which was too big for Luke so I ordered a large. Well, I ordered several more and gave each one away to clients.
http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/easywalk/description
This is going to be long so; I'm going to make two posts out of it. Continued below.
It is quite a sight; just picture a 27" (at the shoulders) blonde standard poodle running and bounding like a crazy person. Now picture a 12 3/4" jack russell in mid air connecting with his face. Jessie's hair is all up; down her back and her lips are pulled back to add emphasize to the hit. I don't know if I'll ever have my camera ready at the precise moment but I'm going to start thinking about it for sure; it would be a great shot.
So today will be another day of rest and when Luke does start getting back at it; it will be on leash. Luke walks on the Easy Walker from Premier. He is by far one of the worst pulling dogs that I have ever come across. He is reactive which basically means when he displays emotion it is tenfold. No matter what the emotion is; it is bigger than a regular dog so when he is excited he pulls and he pulls hard. Often the pulling is accompanied with whining; sometimes extreme whining.
So, I was sent this harness from Premier to give it a try. They sent me an XL which was too big for Luke so I ordered a large. Well, I ordered several more and gave each one away to clients.
http://www.premier.com/View.aspx?page=dogs/products/collars/easywalk/description
This is going to be long so; I'm going to make two posts out of it. Continued below.
Monday, April 7, 2008
We start again
Its Monday again and this past weekend was a flurry of activity at our house. The dogs were exercised like crazy; everyone was in a walking mood. Everyone is sleeping soundly; crashed to be exact on my bed. Luke has hurt himself again; I don't know what he did but he is limping pretty badly. I will rest him for a couple of days and see how his leg is.
Luke hurts himself alot, he is very long legged and long necked; hence leg and neck injuries constantly. Typically a couple of days of quiet gets everything back to where it should be and then he is ready to go again. When he runs in the canyon he could easily twist something. There are hills and rocks a varitable agility course to run.
April is wrap up the books month. I have two on the go and would like to move onto the next so; I'm kicking it into full gear and trying to finish the first two. This calls for alot of scheduling, organizing, writing and shooting. So, I best get at it.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Oprah's show
Oh yes it was rough to watch; as the tears flowed in people around the world it was like a slap in the face for many. Far too often I hear; "if I'd known I would have never. " Now hopefully there will be no more people who do not know. Oprah addressed the pet store issues, the mills and the rate of euthanasia; startling for many I'm sure. How can people, so called human beings think of dogs in the way a miller does. I have always wondered how they sleep at night but after watching the show you realize that they just don't see anything wrong with what they are doing.
Having been a dog trainer for over 9 years; I have seen my share of puppy mill dogs. I have councelled guardians on extreme behavior issues; talked them through their grief after having to euthanize their deathly ill puppy and watched the saddness of those who dedicate their lives to rescuing the discarded and unwanted. So, it is a new day and the truth has been told by the most influential person that can spread the word. I fear that if this does not drastically change the masses that there is little hope for the bleak life of mill dogs.
The direction is upward and onward; you just keeping telling people; you hope that those who can, will spread the word. There are so many people out there who are helping in the cause. The people who are at the frontlines trying to shut the mills down, the people who take in all the broken dogs when a mill is shutdown. The ones who foster the dogs and try to fix what has been done to them and the families who adopt them into their homes.
But there is another issue that needs addressing as well and that is the idea of disposable dogs. Many of these dogs were pet store dogs; purchased on impulse because of the awww factor, then simply tossed aside when the realization hits that "hey we really don't want a dog." I for one have talked many people out of a dog; helped people with behavior issues so that they can keep their dog and brought many an "outside dog," in where they belong. I will help anyone who needs it and I can be contacted by anyone who just needs to discuss a dog issue; just email me.
Having been a dog trainer for over 9 years; I have seen my share of puppy mill dogs. I have councelled guardians on extreme behavior issues; talked them through their grief after having to euthanize their deathly ill puppy and watched the saddness of those who dedicate their lives to rescuing the discarded and unwanted. So, it is a new day and the truth has been told by the most influential person that can spread the word. I fear that if this does not drastically change the masses that there is little hope for the bleak life of mill dogs.
The direction is upward and onward; you just keeping telling people; you hope that those who can, will spread the word. There are so many people out there who are helping in the cause. The people who are at the frontlines trying to shut the mills down, the people who take in all the broken dogs when a mill is shutdown. The ones who foster the dogs and try to fix what has been done to them and the families who adopt them into their homes.
But there is another issue that needs addressing as well and that is the idea of disposable dogs. Many of these dogs were pet store dogs; purchased on impulse because of the awww factor, then simply tossed aside when the realization hits that "hey we really don't want a dog." I for one have talked many people out of a dog; helped people with behavior issues so that they can keep their dog and brought many an "outside dog," in where they belong. I will help anyone who needs it and I can be contacted by anyone who just needs to discuss a dog issue; just email me.
Friday, April 4, 2008
OPRAH and ice cream
Yesterday my daughter and I stopped for ice cream on the way home; after taking the three dogs out. She ate 3/4 of hers and decided to share it with the dogs. I often get them their own mini cup of plain frozen yogurt which they love but this was a cone so I spent about 5 min. capturing it with my camera.
Okay, enough with the cutesy stuff. Oprah's show today is about Puppy Mills; for me it has been alongtime coming. I've been hoping for her to do a show on the subject for sometime. Seeing the effect that her show has on anything is inspiring. Hopefully now everyone will know and there will be no more excuse for purchasing a puppy from a pet store. It is just not okay.
So many people frequent the store even though they know. Now in all fairness some people actually don't know; which I don't get. With all the information out there, it has been on the news, there have been specials about the millers and how they fill the petstores with their sickly little dogs but still there are people filling the stores.
We have a store at the mall that is very close to me. I never go in, I can't stomach it. It is a dirty little secret and hopefully this will help to shut them all down. Take a stand and do not give stores that carry dogs and cats your money. There are many stores that do not.
Pet stores are only part of the problem though, the internet websites with the adorably posed puppies is the next to be addressed. I don't know if I can make it through the whole show, it looks pretty graphic but huge kudos for Oprah for addressing the topic.
Please watch and spread the word.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Thursday rain
Good morning, its raining. The big storm they've been forecasting for days has finally arrived. I can't actually see any rain but the ground is wet and I hear a few drips coming off of the roof. But I'll take what we can get, I like weather; different from what the norm is here in sunny California; which is not today, not sunny that is.
All the dogs are snuggled up on the bed; I'm sure they enjoy a rainy day as well. Yesterday was a beautiful day; it too was suppose to be rainy and windy but was not. I was in and out alot, I had gone down to the Huntington Beach pier to shoot enormous waves (photo above) we were to have; only to be very dissapointed when I got there with waves that were not even the regular size ones. So I thought I'll see if there are any dogs around to shoot.
I spotted a Kerry Blue running alongside their guardian as she peddled down the pathway along the beach. You don't see this breed much so I carefully approached crossed the bike path and tried my best approach to a person riding their bike. I don't want to wipe anyone out. I asked and she said "nope."
I then saw a lady running with her American Bulldog down the path; I always try to get a feeling if people will be up for a shoot or not before I approach, I'm rarely wrong. But as I watched I could see that this dog was not having fun, he was not cool in the environment he was in. He had the tell tale big eyes darting here and there and the plastered back ears. And although I would have love to photograph him, he was not a happy guy.
So into my xterra and on the way home. As I drove down the PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy) I spotted a dog on the beach. I pulled over and parked, grabbed my camera and headed down. After watching for a while; the dog was really cute and having fun so I asked. The guardian was very nice, told me a long story of how he came to be with this little guy; it was a happy ending. So I took 5-7 min. shooting and was on my way.
I love photographing dogs and just like with photographing humans there are always alot to trash. Closed eye shots, head turns, blur etc. On occassion there is the "shot" and its a good one. I love when the dogs give me "the look." It makes for a true image of how the dogs feel about me (stranger) staring at them with my camera. The images are priceless.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Grass
Why do dogs eat grass? There doesn't seem to be a clear and definite answer for this question. But just about all dogs do it for one reason or another; whether as an additional vitamin sourse or to empty the contents of their stomach. As I was prepairing my dogs dinner tonight Luke decided to go outside and eat grass. Knowing him like I do; I knew he was going to be sick because he was probably hungry. Could I stop it? Yep. I can usually stop the whole process if I work fast enough, if it is due to hunger. If Luke is not feeling well then he just needs to get rid of whatever is bothering him.
Dogs eat grass and not always to make themselves vomit. Dogs often eat grass because it tastes good, this I know from many years of experience with my own guys. My dogs love spring grass and when they are set loose in the canyon or field after a couple of good rain showers; they resemble cows. They will and often eat grass at all times of the year but the new baby grass is obviously the best.
The only place my dogs are allowed to eat grass is where I know there are no chemicals like in natural fields, canyons or my own yard. In fact when we moved into this house I assumed the grass was treated; so I went out and bought my dogs their own grass and planted a pot of it on the patio. I trained them all that this was their grass to eat and they all graze from it. We don't seem to have grass in our yard that they enjoy eating, it is a much tougher, harsh type.
When a dog eats alot of grass at an increased rate, not the grazing type of consumption; the chowing down kind of eating grass; there is a good chance that they need to clean their stomach. Don't stop your dog if they feel the need to vomit; just keep them outdoors until they are done. Oh, and a rule of thumb is that they always vomit at least two times in a row. All dogs are different but most dogs react to foreign substances in their stomach by vomiting. So the fast consumption of alot of harsh grass works well. I know everytime Luke would eat a bit of his frisbee before returning it to me; he was sure to vomit the brightly colored plastic up shortly.
Grass is a very natural source of vitamins, minerals, enzympes and amino acids for dogs. Chlorophyll can be found in grass, which was used for many ailments before the introduction of antibiotics. Dogs are very smart; they've been eating grass for years and years; we humans are just figuring out the benefits of grass consumption.
watchdogs
I thought this morning that I would discuss watchdogs. There were many definitions in the dictionary for watchdog but I liked this one - to watch carefully, esp. so as to detect illegal or unethical conduct. This statement makes me think of a very serious tiny dog watching over their home and human companion. A serious job indeed.
There are many types of watchdogs, degrees of and levels of intensity. There are many times while watching a movie I will say "if they had a dog this wouldn't happen." Dogs have amazing hearing and sense of scent far beyond what we have. Infact lastnight Luke was barking up a storm outside; I went out to see what was up. He was standing to one side of the yard, head held high in the air sniffing out the intruder. Of course I couldn't smell anything but he definitely could.
Tilley often will wander outside and suddenly move into a pacing action back and forth at the side yard. She obviously knows something is there and she knows when it leaves; which is usually soon after her arrival. Most dogs will alarm in some way if something is out of the ordinary. And even if your dog is not the barking type they may tell you in other ways if you are paying attention. Like Tilley's pacing, she is not much of a barker but shows her stuff in her behavior.
All of my dogs are great watchdogs; even my little JRT. Although they are not as quick to jump to the occassion as they are all moving into their senior years. If they know there is someone new at the door, a stranger or someone they just have not met yet they are there in a flash. Often they will think that a family member has come in alone; when they hear one word out of the new persons voice they sound off and charge.
A watchdog is all most of us need, someone to tell us when they hear something strange or smell something strange that we as meer humans cannot. A good watchdog can be any size; afterall it is just an alerting requirement, not an action requirement. My breed; the standard poodle are very good watchdogs, surprising to most people. Many breeds do not have a watchdog bone in their body. My a dogs natural instinct to bark at a strangers approach often kicks into gear, even if they do plan on licking the person to death once they arrive.
It is the alert, a heads up that you want from a dog; no action other than that is required. This is how it should be and for some breeds it is hard to stop at that. Some of the natural guarding breeds are on the job 24/7. For these types of breeds it is important to let them know where their job ends and where yours starts. In essence "thanks for the heads up, I'll take it from here." Unless you want your friends and family to get the "up against the wall, spread'm" routine everytime they come over, you need to work on clearly defining the job description.
There are many types of watchdogs, degrees of and levels of intensity. There are many times while watching a movie I will say "if they had a dog this wouldn't happen." Dogs have amazing hearing and sense of scent far beyond what we have. Infact lastnight Luke was barking up a storm outside; I went out to see what was up. He was standing to one side of the yard, head held high in the air sniffing out the intruder. Of course I couldn't smell anything but he definitely could.
Tilley often will wander outside and suddenly move into a pacing action back and forth at the side yard. She obviously knows something is there and she knows when it leaves; which is usually soon after her arrival. Most dogs will alarm in some way if something is out of the ordinary. And even if your dog is not the barking type they may tell you in other ways if you are paying attention. Like Tilley's pacing, she is not much of a barker but shows her stuff in her behavior.
All of my dogs are great watchdogs; even my little JRT. Although they are not as quick to jump to the occassion as they are all moving into their senior years. If they know there is someone new at the door, a stranger or someone they just have not met yet they are there in a flash. Often they will think that a family member has come in alone; when they hear one word out of the new persons voice they sound off and charge.
A watchdog is all most of us need, someone to tell us when they hear something strange or smell something strange that we as meer humans cannot. A good watchdog can be any size; afterall it is just an alerting requirement, not an action requirement. My breed; the standard poodle are very good watchdogs, surprising to most people. Many breeds do not have a watchdog bone in their body. My a dogs natural instinct to bark at a strangers approach often kicks into gear, even if they do plan on licking the person to death once they arrive.
It is the alert, a heads up that you want from a dog; no action other than that is required. This is how it should be and for some breeds it is hard to stop at that. Some of the natural guarding breeds are on the job 24/7. For these types of breeds it is important to let them know where their job ends and where yours starts. In essence "thanks for the heads up, I'll take it from here." Unless you want your friends and family to get the "up against the wall, spread'm" routine everytime they come over, you need to work on clearly defining the job description.
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