Evolution of our dogs

It was approximately 15,000 years ago that our dogs began their evolution from wild wolf to domesticated dog. There is some disagreement as to the exact location of the first domesticated dog but no matter how long or where they first started all of our dogs evolved from wolves. You can see the genetic similiarities in looks and behavior. Watching a pack of dogs or a pack of wolves is very similar.

So how the heck did we end up with so many different looking dogs? We humans like what we like correct? As the dog worked it's way into more and more human lives; these humans started to pick and choose traits they either liked visually or found useful. Traits such as good hunters, gentle with humans, cute ears etc were specifically chosen and the dogs who had these traits were the ones who were bred with other dogs who had desirable traits. Thus the pick and choose process began.

Once dogs were found to be good little companion; humans started breeding down in size so these cute little munchkins could sit on the elite laps. Where there was a need a dog was bred to fill that need; hunting dogs were bred by picking the superior scent or sight dogs. The evolution continued over thousands of years to now; there are dogs for everything. We have herding dogs; scent hounds, sight hounds, companion dogs, go to ground dogs, gentle lap dogs who's natural prey drive are nearly all but eliminated.

But beneath all of dogs lies the genetic pathway to the wolf; a wolf in dogs clothing. We humans can often humanize our dogs; we dress them and expect them to act as humans in our human world. They are often discarded as "bad dogs" when they act as dogs and not humans. Most humans do not come with the built in ability to understand dog behavior yet almost all humans want to live with dogs. It is in our best interest to learn as much as we can before attempting to live with a dog in our human world. Afterall there are wolves lurking in there.

As years go by

I had the girls out for their walk yesterday morning; we went early as the temperatures were to hit in the 100s. By 8:30 it was already in the 80s and well into the 90s when we got back home. A half of our walk is in the shade which is really nice; especially because Tilley was really really slow. As we made our way around the park Tilley lagged about 25 feet behind Jessie and I. Jessie was on her extension leash; she was jetting in every direction with the energy of a two year old.

I cut our walk short and we head back. On the way back we ran into a nice couple; they immediately asked if "that one," meaning Tilley was old? Yep she is 12.5 years; then came the customary "awwwwwwwwwww" as they gently pet Tilley and commented on her beautiful collar. I piped in "this one" meaning Jessie is 13.5 years old.................................................what? They were shocked; even though Jessie is a small dog she is amazing looking for her age. Without knowing that she is missing the pigment that she use to have you can't tell how old she is.

We got back home and the gang happily chowed down some raw beef for breakfast. Then in was into the a/c and sleeptime. It's not just me that feels the heat; the dogs definitely slow down in this kind of hit. Can't wait till its over.

The legacy of a lift

Not all boys lift; many people say that they wish their boy lifted but doesn't. The usual reason for a lift is to mark; not just to pee. Luke is a very good example of one who lifts to mark. He never lifts in the backyard; unless of course there has been another male in his yard and he is forced to remark his territory. Other than that he doesn't lift at home; he just sort of stands there. Sometimes he bends slightly but normally; he just lets r rip.

When we go for walks anywhere; he lifts. He lifts all over the place and he does the tiptoe lifting. "Look how big I am dude." Unfortunately Luke is one of the worst aimers and stoppers. He tends to start running off even before he has stopped peeing. Of course this results in the leg stains, nice. And he often contorts himself into strange positions and ends up peeing on his legs rather than his target. He has even peed on Jessie's head several times.

Luke pees after the girls pee; he usually waits for them to go and then by peeing on their pee lets any rogue boys in the yard know that these girls are his girls. He gets rather panicky about it and hence Jessie has been peed on. But it is not only the boys that mark or lift for that matter. Jessie marks and she lifts. I have seen her back up a tree as high as she can to go. She marks like a male on a walk and by end she is going through the process but nothig is coming out. She also like to do the kick display; check this out everyone. And I often have to tug on her when she kicks dirt in my face. But she loves it and I let her do it whenever it is an okay spot to do so. She can really get goin too; I've seen her go for a good 10-12 feet kicking and backing up.

So there you have some fun facts about peeing. Happy Saturday

Leashes

When you live with dogs you live with dogs on leashes; if and when I can safely allow my dogs to run free I do. Dogs running for the simple love of running is about one of the best things in life to watch. But then there are times when leashes are a must and frankly just good common sense. Many of my clients use to ask "when are we going to work off leash?" They wanted to be able to walk down a street with their dog off leash. I don't even do that with Tilley and Tilley as you all know is perfect.

Why do I not walk down the street with my dogs off leash? Because it's stupid; that's why. Even the best trained dogs will bolt; cat!!!! chase it. This can happen before a dog even knows what they are doing. Why risk your dogs life? I see people jogging with their dogs 100s of feet behind them on a busy street and it makes me shudder.

Another good reason for leashes is when you have a dog that is; let's say not so social. Let's use Jessie as an example; Jessie is a very dominant Jack Russell. When she meets a new dog she needs to let them know that she is the Queen of the world and they must bow down to her. Well; not such a good thing to do to all dogs you don't know. Some dogs just dont' like having a 15 lb little tank body throwing themselves at them. So, Jessie is almost always on a leash basically for her own safety.

The other day at the park there was a bunch of woman exercising on mats; the teacher of the group had an old golden off leash. I played the whole scenario in my head before we even got close to the area where they were working. The big lumbering golden was going to come and say hello to Jessie; she was going to take a mouthful of his golden locks from his body and the lady would yell at me, nope not happening. As I got closer and saw the golden coming our way I shouted "my dog is not friendly." She shot up off her mat and apologized immensely for her dog wandering our way. Much better than the first scenario.

You can tell when someone has a dog that is not entirely social; they will give you space. They either pull their dog in or get off the path; perhaps position their dog on the other side of them. Watch for these signs; they are there if you pay attention. I don't know how many times I've reigned Jessie in to have someone else keep coming our way; letting their dog go to the very end of their extension leash until I have to say "she's not social."

Come on, not all of us want a stranger in our face.

Heat'n up

Its really hot out; so I think I'll be skipping my gym workout and get the dogs out early, really early. I was thinking about a poor husky I saw the other day as I was driving home. It's owner was out for a jog and decided that his dog should go as well; in the 90 degree weather and he is a Siberian Husky? Hmmmmmmmm..............makes ones ponder doesn't it? People just don't seem to get it; it is too hot to run dogs when it is 90, even when it's in the 80s its too hot to run dogs.

Yesterday as I came out of the grocers you could just feel the heat coming out of the pavement; it was so hot down beneath my feet that I it must make it at least 10 degrees hotter. Even in my own backyard where we have a very large concrete patio; which is very light colored, almost white it's hot. I cannot stand on it in my bare feet for more than 10 seconds before I have to run for shade.

Dogs react; they work on the action/reaction method of behavior. But we as humans are suppose to think first right? So think before taking your dog out into the heat; they cannot tell you in words that they are about to pass out. But if you are watching their body will tell you that.

Luke and trouble

Luke got in trouble yesterday; this is a very rare occasion of course because my dogs are all old and very well behaved. Although you would never in a million years guess that Luke is over 2 because he is such a crazy guy. Anyway; he didn't get in big trouble and he didn't do anything really bad but he didn't listen to me. So as a result he was scolded for not listening; again not hugely but Luke does NOT like to get into trouble and will always stay in the background hoping not to do anything wrong if the girls are acting up.

Yesterday afternoon in the extreme heat he found a lizard in the wood pile. The last one he found in there he killed so wanting to save the little guy I called Luke into the house with me. He immediately ran through the kitchen, down into the familyroom and out the dog door. Hmmmmm, he's a smarty. So out I go and round him up again making quite sure that he knows what I mean this time.

We go upstairs to the computer where I tell him to laydown and stay which he does. Before too long I'm pretty involved in what I'm doing and look around to see that Luke is gone. My bad; I wasn't paying attention. So down I go and I'm going to make a point; I need to use startle tactics and bluster. Booming out the door and clapping my hands Luke knows immediately that I mean business. He runs to the door while keeping a close eye on the wood pile; at this point it is instinct vs. survival. Survival wins of course; like I said, he's a smart boy. Even with such a distraction it is very important to follow through; you cannot let it slide. Especially with a dog like Luke; one who has a dominant personality, you must follow through.

So upstairs we go again; I tell him to laydown and stay, which he does. He also knows as this point that there are no options but to lay there. I keep a close eye on his position. Then an hour later we both go outside and I downplay the whole lizard in the wood issue trying to help him get over his obsession. It works and he is soon over the lizard zone. Now because he got into trouble he is doing his best to be adorable. He is not leaving my side and wants constant eye contact. As I sit on the couch at the end of the day to put my feet up for a few he is there by my side and he is not going anywhere anytime soon. He is adorable.

Greenies

I was in a petstore the other day. There was a woman looking at all the Greenies and the salesperson was explaining the differences between all the different types. Satisfied that she had learned all she could about them she grabbed a pack; I held my tongue.

There are so many articles on the dangers of Greenies yet people still keep buying.

#1
#2 (VERY GRAPHIC IMAGES)
#3

These are just a few that I pulled up quickly on the ever popular Greenies. I do not feed greenies to my dogs; never had and never will. Anything that can be consumed like rawhides, pig ears, greenies or those other dental chews by pedigree should in my opinion never be used. There are lots of things out there for dogs to chew on that do not breakdown in size possibly causing choking or blockage issues.

I use real bones; and I use the tough Nylabones. I do regular inventory of all bones and toss any that are small enough to ingest. Poor Jessie has to use the wolfsized bones because of the larger dogs in the house. But at least she is safe from choking.

Please do your research and if the petstore owners are not going to be ethical about a product and the manufacturers are still pumping them out to get a piece of your hard earned money; then you have to do the work for all these people and research like crazy before giving your dog anything.

Dog tired

Tired Dogs

After todays walk the dogs were very tired. Luke went on his usual hike with Dad; and the old ladies with me. Luke and Dad took off about 20 min. before us and headed to their 3 mile route. We went to a regular park; just the otherside of the hiking route of the boys. We were only 1/4 way around our walking path when I turned to see if Tilley was keeping up; in the distance I could see the boys. Tilley was exceptionally slow today and the boys had done their 3 mile hike and were catching up with us. Tilley knew right away who these guys closing in on us were; you can tell by her ear drop.

Once the dogs had their greeting we headed around the path; the girls still needing their exercise and Luke had needed his much deserved cool down. The walk is enjoyable but slow; Tilley is much slower these days. She is off leash and keeping her own pace; slow. Jessie is on her extension leash giving her the ability to run around and get the extra speed burst she enjoys. By the end of our walk Luke is very thirsty and in need of a good drink; luckily I brought some water just for this. I have a flexible bowl that stays in my car so up he goes for his drink.
Then we head home.

Once home the dogs get a good 45 min. cool down, have a drink with ice and then it's breakfast time. Raw beef, green beans, apple and oatmeal; funny it never seems like I have to force Luke to eat a raw meal. Once everyone is done eating it is crash time. The afternoon was spent in very deep sleep; occasionally Tilley was up and playing but it was fleeting and it was back into their exercise induced coma. Happy dogs.

Life experience

It is true that the older you get the more life experiences you've had. Does that mean as well that the older you get the smarter you are? Not always. And the more people I meet the more I realize this to be true. Where am I going with this? I'm leading to puppies and their life experiences. It amazes me everytime I see the little ones and just how well they have adapted to life after only being here for a few short weeks. Even the ones having the disadvantage of being raised in a home where there is no socializing no external stimulus; these handicapped pups adapt to their mundane environment.

I have seen vast difference in puppies of the same age. But the really big difference lies in the socializing and life experiences that each litter of puppies has. There are puppies who are literally left for most of the day and only on occasion see a human; not a great start in life. These puppies fall short in the life experience; and when introduced to "real" life often seem shell shocked. They lack the confidence to go out and discover; this is sad to see and completely avoidable.

There is alot more to raising puppies than making sure that they are being fed. If you are a breeder you have the job to ensure that each puppy in your charge is given the best advantage at dealing with their future life. There is tremendous amount of information for a puppy to learn from day one to the 8-10 weeks they are with the breeder; before they are cast into our big world. So what should a breeder be doing?

Early neurological stimululation is becoming very popular in the circle of better breeders. This involves several exercises that are done with the puppies from day one. There is alot of research that goes into these tests and they are very specific in function and short in duration; only 3-5 seconds long. With these tests they have found that puppies in later weeks are more able to make decisions and become far less stressed than puppies who have not been given these early neurological stimulation exercises.

Along with these very specific interactions there should be daily life interactions. Being picked up, held close, rubbed, exposed to loud noises and life in general. But there is also a limit to what a puppy can handle and over stimulation can have negative effects as well as no stimulation. But when given the proper amount of early neurological stimuation; these puppies are far more equipped to deal with life, bottom line. Puppies who are outside or kennel puppies lacking the experience of environmental stimulation when they are young are far less equipped to deal with anything life has to throw at them.

This is yet another reason to go to a breeder who is doing their best to achieve better puppies, no matter what breed or mix you are thinking about.

Trust in a whisper

I remember bellowing across the empty room DOOOOOWWWWWWN; as I raised my arm high in the air to signal a down for my dog. Obedience class was not a relaxing place and for our dogs it must have been the night they hated each week. Heeling round and round, direction turn and continue round and round as you yanked your dog into place when they inched away in attempt to get to safety. Not anymore; not for this trainer anyway, nope there is no more yelling, yanking or pushing. That was alongtime ago and oddly enough it seems like a lifetime ago.

My training and behavior work now focuses on the connection; the human/canine connection. Building a better bond with your dog takes dedication and above all else trust. Trust is something that you cannot take; you must earn it and it is one of the most important things for humans and canines. Take for instance my boy Luke; nervous ninny type, worries about anything new and stresses about things he doesn't understand.

The other day I was scraping teeth; Tilley doesn't like it but doesn't fuss too much, Jessie lets me do it but would rather not. When it comes time to Luke he is amazingly good; this always shocks me because it is a pretty strange thing to be doing. The only reason he allows me to do this is because he trusts me; there is no way anyone else could do this. Same goes for teaching your dog new behaviors or living your everyday life with them. You must build trust.

Then there is communication; there is no need to bellow out orders to our dogs so that they hear and understand what we want. In the lowest whisper ask your dog if they would like to go in the car? Or maybe ask them if they'd like a cookie? Bet those ears go up right away. Dogs hear far better than we do; why do we feel the need to yell at them? I also use please and thank you with my dogs. This was something that got my guardian clients big praise as well. When you say thank you to your dog; it is more than words. It comes from a different train of thought; one that is far from the "do it because I said" idea of training. I love when I hear people say thank you to their dogs.

Dogs are so much better than us at body language as well. Do an experiment tonight or whenever your dog seems to be wanting what you are eating. As they sit and watch your every bite; stop eating and freeze. For some dogs this will be enough to get a head turn in response. For others you may need the lazer beam stare so slowly turn your head looking them; you should get at least a head turn in response. Even better they will move away. You just spoke dog.

If you yell and get excited when dealing with your dog then your dog will do the same. They see you getting stressed out and upset and inturn will evolve into the same mode. Instead try to use calm, relaxing and quiet words. Speak softly to your dog and they will listen close. Use your body to enhance your communications with your dog; not only will it create a more claming atmostphere but it will give you and your dog a stress free environment in which to live.

How feeding dogs has changed

Feeding our dogs has changed alright; although there are still many who grab the bag of crappy food and haul it home to their pooches. But I must say that there are so many people feeding really good stuff to their dogs now that it is inspiring. I recently found a supplier of raw meat for the dogs; he has apparently been coming for a long, long time. There are many people waiting in the parking lot for his drop off; each one talking about what they feed.

Back in the old days; you know before I was born, the way to feed the dog was to give them our scraps. Whatever we didn't want and the kids wouldn't eat the dog got which although it may not be perfectly balanced was a whole lot more nutritional than some of the dog foods out there. Iams and Purina are the heavy hitters out there; and two of the worst foods out there as well. Oh; have you seen Iams new ads on tv? They are boasting about prebiotics (don't know why they can't call them probiotics, will have to look into that.) If you don't dig; really dig into the whole "dog food" subject then there is a good chance that the advertising will work on you.

I know that many people feel that dogs should receive lesser quality than us. There are a few folks out there that don't get the reasoning behind feeding dogs quality. I've dealt with many training clients who desperately wanted to feed real or quality food but their partner was dead set against it. It's that whole "it's just a dog mentality." Well, if you want to have healthy happy dogs and stay out of the vets office as much as possible then you should feed your dog well. There is a ton of information out there about all the recalls; look into it.

Also, if you aren't into feeding real or raw then how about just adding a bit to your dogs food? Look into perhaps the best quality kibble to feed; or maybe the great new freeze dried raw which I use all the time; love it, love it. And a very important part of feeding our dogs is to switch it up, by offering different foods in whatever form their food comes helps to provide a better balance of nutrition.

Have a great day, go eat an organic apple and give you dog a piece.

New beds

I have been searching for new bedroom dog beds for sometime now. I do not spend alot of money on beds; I think it's foolish if you do. Dogs can be very hard on beds even if they are really good dogs like mine ;) As most of you know Luke is a digger so he pretty much destroys fabric eventually. How often I catch him digging is how long the bed has to live basically. And you have to factor in puking on the beds which almost always results in tossing the whole thing.

When looking for a bed; there are things to consider.

A bed must have a zipper so that you can remove the outer casing and throw it in the wash.

They should be large enough for the dog to spread out on.

Do the squish test; is there enough stuffing to keep your dog off the ground?

Will the fabric hold up? I usually go for better fabric but sometimes I've bought a cheaper one; they do not hold up at all.

Try to match your decor; there is no need for your house to look crappy because you have dog beds around. I have tons of beds; almost 2 in everyroom and in my opinion my house looks nice.

If you don't want your dog sleeping on the couch or your bed then a dog bed is the best alternative. Afterall they need their comfort; when was the last time you slept on the floor? It is hard and not comfortable at all. If they choose to lie on the floor when I have offered beds that is fine with me but to not give them somewhere comfortable to lay in each room with you I think is wrong.

Now especially as our dogs age; at 9, 12.5 and 13.5 they need more comfort than ever. If you have a dog that suffers from arthritis or some other sort of physical ailment; they really need comfort. Check your beds often for the fluff factor; have they flattened out to a useless thickness? Time to head off to Costco, TJ Maxx, Marshalls or Steinmart. This is where I buy all my beds; they simply have the best prices. These last ones are from Costco; I think they are 36x40" more than large enough but hey nothing is too good for my guys.

Mall dogs

I was at the Mall on the weekend; I was there looking for something very specific so you could say I was on a mission. I was not window shopping or leisurely strolling down the walkways; so when I passed the "dog store" I didn't bat an eye. Do you know how hard it is to not look? Although not looking is the best thing for someone like me because if I look I may open my mouth.

I have once walked into this store; once in I very loudly walked around saying "this puppy looks sick." The young people working there; their eyes darting back and forth to one another didn't know what to do. This was alongtime ago and by now I'm sure they have been educated on what to do when a radical enters the store. Imagine being called a radical because you don't agree with the horrific places that these dogs comes from?

Not only are these stores selling puppies and kittens they ask outrageous prices for everything in the store. They don't carry the good stuff; you know the food that is actually good for your dogs? They don't care if their products are good or not; just that you cough up your hard earned money for them.

I honestly don't know how people can still do it; walk in these pet stores and pretend like they haven't heard; they don't know. How can anyone not know not that Oprah and all the big news shows have spilled the dirty little secret of the millers and the pet stores? Everyone knows and shame on the ones who are still going in and fueling these disgusting places.

Luke's Birthday

Luke's birthday video

It was Luke's birthday yesterday; I cannot believe he turned 9, where the heck has time gone? Honestly time flies by so fast doesn't it? And we all know that the older you get the faster it goes whizzing by. Our morning was spent moving one of our daughters down to San Diego but that was done nice and early and we were back home before you know it. We wanted to do something special for Luke but what do you that is special when everyday is pretty much a special one with your dogs?

We stopped at Steinmart to get Luke a new toy; although we bought three. Dogs don't understand the birthday thing so everyone gets to celebrate for each others birthday. My husband wanted to see if he could get some shortbread at TJs for Luke; we realized at Christmas time just how much he loves it. But I reminded him that we had just recently discovered Luke's love for Maple cookies as well. We had those at home so we headed there.

Presents are a big deal in our house and we always like to make it a big event. First the bag of toys goes into the kitchen to have the tags removed; then back into the bag for gift giving. "What did we buy?" is the cue word for fact that there are presents. This alone sends all the dogs into overdrive; especially Luke. My husband did the honors and I taped the proceedings. Luke got his first because it was his birthday but normally it is always the same delivery order; Jessie, Tilley then Luke.

My husband had chosen a toy that he knew Luke loved; although Luke loves all toys and the one goal is to get the squeaker out destryong the sound effects. It is strange because he loves squeaking the darn things. Once they all had their toys and had enjoyed them for a bit it was cookie time; which was also great for all the dogs.

Celebrating a dogs birthday is for us; they don't know it's their birthday but in todays world isn't it great to have spent 9 happy years with your dog? Something I say should most definitely be celebrated.

Thank goodness for crates

I love crates; anyone who knows me knows this fact. Having dogs and crates is a wonderful thing; especially times like lastnight. Although all of my dogs are out of crates at a young age Jessie has been returned to her crate for nighttime sleeping. She loves her crate and stands at the door waiting to be let in at night. To her it is her own private little den that the poodles cannot use. And lastnight I was really happy she was in there as I was awoke to the familiar slosh of puking.

Any dog guardian knows the sound; it's not a good one but we know it. Out of bed to see what's going on and barely awake Jessie is standing there with her puke face on. I let her out of the crate; pull the blanket containing the vomit and replace it quickly with some old towels. I love having a patio door right off my bedroom; out goes the blanket, outside. Back to bed.

Just as I'm falling asleep SLOSH again; out of bed, toss the towels, replace again and back to bed. This morning she is fine; charging around like nothing and wanting food. Who knows what she ate that she shouldn't have; thankfully her stomach knows when to toss the goods. I love crates; I don't mind hosing and washing towels, I do mind scrubbing puke out of carpets. Honestly; I hate carpet and these are all going very soon...............what a stupid invention.

Designer dogs

Okay I know I said I was going to talk about tiny micro dogs today but that will have to wait; I want to talk about "Designer dogs" today. The definition of a designer dog is a mixbreed or mutt. Two purebred dogs bred together resulting in the "designer dog" or mutt. There is a good chance that you know someone with a designer dog; they are everywhere. But not only are people scooping up this little 1/2 & 1/2s now they are breeding three breeds in to make even more of a mix; even more "rare." And folks unfortunately you are all buying it, the hype, the false advertising, the whole enchilada.

When I saw an adorable puppy the other day I simply said cute and asked her name; but the proud guardian felt compelled to tell me "she's a chiweiniepoo." Oh wow, you have a chiweiniepoo? I just smiled looking at this obviously very poorly bred dog with runny eyes and a gimp back leg. The guardian was beaming with pride; poor little thing I thought to myself. The young lady had no idea what evil lay behind the whole operation where her puppy came from. People pumping out whatever they can for a buck.

So are these designer dogs really healtier than the purebreds of today? Nope. By breeding two dogs together you do infact produce a larger gene pool but if they are bad genes then that is the bottom line. Breeding must be done with alot of research behind it; health and temperament lineage must be researched well before mixing dogs together whether they are of the same breed or not.

Unfortunately I have only met two really great ethical breeders of the "designer dogs." All others pumping out the large array of mixtures are in it for the money; I'm sorry to lay it on you like this but that is the fact. You may think by my stand on this topic that I am against the designer dog but I am not. What I am against is the unscrupulous people who are pulling a fast one on all the innocent people out there. Just as I am against all the people breeding purebred dogs and doing no health testing, no anything, simply pumping out puppies for a buck.

I stumbled onto a website this morning; a Designer dog breeds website. This was their actual web address even. There are pages of "designer" puppies listed and you can buy them right off the web like you would any other piece of merchandise. This is so sad; and the idea that people think that they are going to get a healthy puppy at the end their purchase is even more disturbing. This is where the puppies come from in your local pet stores as well people; the same horrific puppy mill.

The bottom line is buyer beware; do your research and if you want a mixed breed dog that's great. Just don't be fooled into buying a mixed breed dog for big bucks buying into the "healthier" line. There are lots of mixed breed dogs out there that don't cost thousands of dollars waiting for a new home. And please; don't buy a puppy from a display list online; ethical breeders don't have pictures of puppies set up with cute backgrounds that you choose from.

The Harbor

I took Luke down to Dana point harbor yesterday for his walk; I get tired of the same ole and wanted some new scenery. I have to think about going there before deciding; Luke gets into his "squirrel zone" when we are there and nearly rips my arm from my body. Being reactive means that when he gets excited it is nearly impossible to get him back to a normal mode. So I grabbed his 2" wide collar, his easy walk harness and his bungee leash and off we went.

Typically Luke cannot wait to see other dogs; he is very social but when we are at the harbor he sees nothing but squirrels. Many dogs pass by us but he offers no acknowledgement of them. This intense zone is an odd one because he doesn't want to kill the squirrels; he's not the type. Nor is Tilley but something comes from deep inside that they cannot control; unfortunately Luke is more physical in his stalking zone constantly pulling.

Every once in a while I make him sit and try to get a fraction of attention. The first sign that he is listening is a rather pissed off fleeting glance out the side of his eye; but I want more. With a gentle one finger touch he comes back to me long enough for a quick face rub and then he is gone again. This "zone" is unstoppable; you cannot get rid of it but you can control it. Even in this highly aroused state I have control; which actually amazes even me. With a firm "leave it" Luke's body adjusts; it is a very small body movement and if you weren't watching you'd miss it.

Along our walk we saw lots of other dogs; a pair of beautiful English setters which you just don't see around. There were many mixed breeds both large and small; a bassett hound, several aussies and one of the smallest chihuahuas I've seen in a longtime. It was a 10 week old with one blue eye; I shuddered to think what one playful paw of Luke's would do to this little thing, although Luke never even saw it. This dog was actually smaller than the squirrels; which got me to thinking about the drastic sizes that we humans have created in the dog species. More on that tomorrow.

But as far as the squirrel walk; I think this type of mental exercise is good for dogs; Mother nature vs Mom.

Two steps behind

In some cultures it is customary for a woman to walk behind her man; and from the point of view of a big celeb trainer all dogs should walk behind us. Not in my books; there are times when a dog should be behind us but out on a "leisurely" walk is not one of them. His philosophy is that only the Alpha in a pack walks up front; this is wrong if you've ever watched a documentary on wolves. Sure the alpha is saying where the pack goes and the lower members are following his lead but they aren't actually walking behind him.

There are alot of places I take my dogs; one is a great park where I can often sneak them off leash for a while. I usually see some of the regulars while we walk. There are a couple of ladies who walk their dogs there; the dogs never leave their sides as we pass and they stretch their heads to get a whiff of my guys. I always think to myself that they don't look like they are having much fun. No sniffing; no wandering for these dogs. And every so often I see a dedicated audience member of this walking behind idea. The owner is growing mad as they attempt to keep their dog behind.

I for one like my dogs out front; I can keep my eye on them out there. Plus; I have 8 foot leashes so that they can stay out from under my feet while we enjoy our walk. No I don't want to be dragged down the street but fun is why we are out on a walk. I can hit the treadmill at the gym if I just want my own exercise. I'm out with the dogs to let them be dogs; sniff, lift and do whatever makes them happy of course within normal limits. Not allowing a dog to sniff is just plain wrong; that is what dogs do. I have rules; when we are walking and I want to walk then we walk. When I decide that the dogs need a sniff then we do the snail pace walk and they get their sniffing in.

I believe in being a strong leader; I'm pretty strict and I have alot of rules but life is way too short to always be working, fun should be a huge part of everyones life.

Direction changes

What if when you were walking hand in hand with your significant other; that other kept abruptly changing direction without giving you a heads up? You just got yanked around as they walk this way and that; never giving a second thought about what you were doing at the moment they went the other way. That would be annoying wouldn't it? Although the simple fact that we would be attached by our hands would make it not nearly as annoying as being on the end of a leash and being yanked around. This has always bothered me; the idea of never giving our dogs a heads up. I decided at the beginning of my life as a trainer that it was something that I would teach each client along the way.

The words that I commonly use for direction changes or simply to give my dog their heads up are:

Turn - used for when my dogs are in heel position or walking directly at my side. They learn to hold back so as not to be stepped on when I turn into them.

This way - used to let them know I am changing direction; they can be on or off leash for this. The typical response is that they look up to see where I am going. Over the years I have realized that this word holds much power and implemented properly it is a very useful tool.

Let's go - means to stop lolly gagging or sniffing and come along with me; typically the same direction that we are all ready go in.

This side - used exclusively for trees, poles, fences etc where my dog is on the otherside or starting around the otherside. I have tried to teach this to all of my dogs and Luke displayed a very nice response just yesterday for me. We were leaving the park on leash as he decided to leave on the other side of the chain link fence. As soon as his head was on the wrong side I said to him "this side." He quickly gave me attention, realization and fell into place.

This is simple common courtesy when out on a leasurely walk. Once you learn to give your dog these cues as to your location changes it becomes part of everyday routine.

Cooler weather and look'n great

I am not the only one who enjoys the cooler weather; early this a.m. I took Jessie out for her walk. Neither of the poodles were up so it was just Jessie and I. I noticed as soon as we exited the front door; Jessie charged out and turned to wait for me. We have a routine that we follow; each is different for each dog. Jessie's rule is that she goes out the front door then waits for me to hoist her up. I don't want this little trigger happy gal anywhere near the road. She happily waits for me and then gives her little lift off into my arms. Once at the school she was like a little torpedo this morning; jetting off in all directions on her extension leash. She was in a very good mood.

I have to say that she is looking really great these days; having been on her cut back diet for many months now and getting fitter by the day she looks like a Jack Russell 10 years under her actual 13.5 years. She only slowed at the very end of her walk today and even being on her extension leash I had to keep up with her by speed walking. I had sort of fallen off to walking slow because Jessie has been walking with Tilley lately; but this morning I had to pick it up being that we left Tilley in behind in bed still.

It makes me smile watching the energy that this little old gal has. She has a zest for life and it shows. She just can't get enough scent; she loves smelling all of her peemails and scent tracks that the critters leave specifically for her. This is when an extension leash is at it's best; Jessie feels like she is off leash without her being off leash. Jessie off leash is not a great idea; not that she is not obedient but she triggers so easily that I have to protect her from her own drive. Her drive to charge after anything and everything that moves.

Jessie is happy and contented for the day now; I must move onto the poodles. Have a great week all.

Busy Sunday

I had a busy day today and yesterday; but very nice for sure. The dogs had a mellow weekend; yesterday the girls went out for their walk nice and early and then I took Luke for a good long run. This is the walking configuration most of the time now unless everyone gets to go out alone; which I do try to do every once in a while. It is good for everyone to have the special treatment of alone time now and again; even seniors.

So we've had cats in the yard the last few days. I had a good startle the other morning as I went to fill the bird feeders and saw a black cat sitting there very guilty like. It took me but a second to realize that the cat was there for the birds; and didn't care that over a short 3' fence lived three dogs. We love feeding the birds; the sound of birds chirping is never a bad sound and I love waking up to them in the morning especially. So; I had to get rid of the cat.

I tried shoooing it away but it came back; then another cat sat in the exact spot waiting for the birds. Hmmmmmm; cats don't like water right? No they don't. So while I try to convince these cats that there is no dinner in this yard; my dogs are trying their hardest as well. The cats have now walked past the back patio door resulting in all three dogs flying out the door in a flurry of thunder like growling and barking. Then this morning one stupidly walked right smack dab into the yard as the dogs were still in their ritual of morning stretching. Luke flew into action in a flash and the cat made a run for it clearing the fence only inches ahead of Luke. Now Luke has decided that this is his job; he must keep the yard clear of the rogue cats. Fine with me.

The cats have tons of places to run and escape and if they are foolish enough to think that coming into our very canine yard; my dogs will show them otherwise. Hey; I don't have cats for a reason.

I wish I'd known back then

Waaaaaaaaay back when I was 13 I started training; I used conventionl choke collar methods because that was what there was. And basically that meant that if your dog didn't do what you wanted; you yanked on their neck until they did it. The come exercise or recall as it is known in the obedience ring was one of the worst displays of human stupidity and unfortunately you can count me in there as well. But the whole process of yanking on dogs was more a "you're an animal and you'll do as I say" compared to the more popular way of thinking now "how can I get you to do a behavior using communication?"

The good old days does not pertain to training; these days now are much better than the days gone by and thank goodness some of us are learning. There has been a slipping of positive training with the big celebrity trainer but hopefully that will not last. We must get better; going back should not be an option. Training and behavior is a never ending education; you can never know it all because all dogs are different. And if you are like me; the more you learn the more you want to learn.

So let's dissect the whole recall of the past and present. The old way was to put your dog in a sit; tell them to stay and then leave them. You would walk to the end of a very long leash and turn around to face them; so far so good. Now came the stupid part; call their name and tell them to come. If they don't come really fast reel them in like a fish and abruptly sit them infront of you. This just makes me shudder because of many different issues. First in my training; I never call a dog out of a stay, makes for a very unreliable stay. Just imagine the anticipation feeling the dog must have when they are in a stay; never knowing if they are going to have to come or stay like they were told, bad.

Second; when you start to get mad because your dog is not coming and the reeling begins, their brain is telling them to stay away from the danger. You could not make yourself more unappealing to your dog. Dogs do not approach things that they know are dangerous; they are smarter than that. But we pull them in and yell at them expecting them to come happily running to us. I don't know how many times I saw dogs jamming on their brakes for their own safety as they owners pulled them in.

That compared to the come exercise of today are worlds apart; at least in my training. We do everything to make ourselves seem inviting; "come to me; it is the best place in the world." We will use treats; lavish praise, games and anything else that might be great in the dogs eyes as a reward for coming. You must get into your dogs head that coming is a very positive behavior with consistent rewarding. And most importantly you must work hard to create a bond; one that offers trust, respect, kindness and above all a desire to be with you.

I do not believe in some of the trainers today who only use rewards with no feedback of any sort. I believe that once a dog understands what "come or here" means and they opt not to; then there should be some sort of consequence for not coming. And this is because we do not live in a perfect world; there may be times when you need your dog to come to you very quickly; like if you are off leash in a leash zone and the ticket guy is coming ;) Your dog needs to understand that "come" is not an multiple choice decision. My consequence involves going to the dogs location and clapping and speaking firmly to get them moving; once moving my voice changes to positive and happy. There is no forcing a dog in but it is enough to let them know if they don't come I'm coming after them.

A dogs mind is simple yet complicated; once you get in it is truly fascinating.

Fun thinking

Yesterday I decided to get out my old IKEA tube that I've had since my kids were little and see what the dogs did. The last time that I took it out Luke was only a puppy; and seeing him stand beside it now he was obviously far too large to go through. But I thought I'd see what they'd do anyway. Jessie immediately started going throught the tunnel; she stood there in the tunnel awaiting her treat. She assumed that this was one of those training sessions where it ends with lot of treats, nope. She stood fast; not willing to give up the possibility of getting her treat and when the poodles tried or even glanced at the tunnel she sent them the hardest stare she could, funny really.

It took some work but I got Tilley to go through as well; although it was a bit tough for her. She use to fly through even as a full grown adult but now those old legs of hers don't work so well. She tried offering several other behaviors as all of my dogs have been taught to think; being trained using operant conditioning. She pulled the tunnel around a bit with her mouth looking at me for a response. She pushed it and stared at it alot; she watched Jessie run through and they actually had a few words at one point.

Luke was generally getting excited that Jessie kept running through the tunnel. When I asked him to do the same he got very goofy; objected, stuck his head in and then barked at me. Being that he is reactive he got pretty wound up by all of this and started going after the girls to play. He watched intently as Jessie entered the tube; he followed her along through the tunnel poking the outside of the tube and seemed elated when she appeared out the other end.

The whole time Jessie was thinking; "what does she want me to do with this thing." Jessie has had alot of training where I put a strange object out and expect her to offer me a behavior; she's a thinker. She too pushed and pulled at the tube when running through achieved no reward. She stood in the tube waiting for a treat to appear and when it didn't she thought of something else to offer. It is amazing how a dogs mind works; love it.

But what if a dog is never given any training; I mean never any response to a behavior? Do they think less than a dog that has come to offer behaviors for a reward? Yes; I have worked with some dogs who have never been worked with. It was almost confusing for me as they offered nothing; not even when being lured by treats. They stood confused as to why they could not just pull the food from my hand; a mind is a sad thing to waste.

What is going on?

It is becoming a problem; who could have seen this coming? I have gotten so much feedback from people looking for rescue dogs; negative feedback. Seems that some of these "rescuers" are becoming hoarders and not letting go. As humans we tend to think we are pretty great; but what happens when we think that we are so great that no one else can compare? I remember that not long after moving to California my long loved boy Clyde died. Although I was devastated I considered a rescue soon after. I made the call and was informed that I; Sherri was not good enough. You see we were renting; having just moved here we wanted to get to know the place before we bought. Renters were not good enough and when they move they dump their dogs was what I was told. I had travelled across North America with my three dogs via plane; but this meant nothing to the person I was speaking to.

I was basically in shock but over the years I have heard many stories with the same type of logic. These would be rescuers consider a life in their overcrowded home or kennel to better than a life with a loving family. Let their be one glitch and it's a no go. Let's get the facts straight here folks; life in a kennel or overcrowded dog home is a stressful one. It alone can cause many behavior issues that are long lasting. And this has to stop. No not all homes are perfect; I mean who really lives in a perfect world?

Most people work; no this is not a perfect life for a dog but one you can work around. Many dogs lead very happy lives with guardians who work and can afford to support their dogs. No not everyone is happily married; there are alot of single parents out there who have a heart big enough for lots of dogs in it. There are many people who do not have a fenced yard but are willing to walk their dogs until they will walk no more. This idea that everyone who wants to rescue a dog must fit into a perfect little mold is a ridiculous one and I'm frankly tired of trying to convince these rescuers who have gone bad otherwise.

Taking on a role as a "rescuer" means that you are dedicating yourself to finding a better home for a homeless or unwanted dog. If that means that you must return calls (another huge issue), return emails and generally work your butt off then do it. You took this on; don't tell me you don't have enough time. If you don't have enough time to rescue the dogs then don't say that this is what you are doing. If you only have time to scoop up dogs and keep piling them into your home then you are not a rescuer but a scooper; correct?

This is but one issue that I have with some of the rescue groups. Of course not all are like this; there are many rescue groups out there who do a wonderful job of pulling, rehabilitating and rehoming of dogs. But the idea of someone who has decided to rescue; who has opened their home and their heart to an otherwise unwanted dog is unfit because someone doesn't think they fit their little perfect mold? Just like in any type of situation; humans can go bad and when it happens to include dogs it is very sad indeed.

Then there are the shelters who have basically no quams handing out dogs. When I volunteered for a local shelter years ago; I was witness to several dogs being returned because they bit someone. Because I was educated in dog behavior I warned of several questionable dogs; one was a dalmation. The shelters attitude was very much "I think we know better." Then I heard a week later that this particular dalmation had severely bitten a volunteer while being walked. Another time I offered to accompany an employee while she walked what I considered to be a dangerous dog; she just smiled and took the dog out alone. Soon after she was screaming as the dog latched onto her leg. Does this shelter temperament test any of the dogs who are going to be offered to the general public? No; the dogs are set free in a fenced area for the nice families to figure it out on their own.

If any of the salaried people at the shelters understood real dog behavior they would know that there are alot of things you must test to see a dogs behavior. And not all can be seen in a shelter setting. Being in a shelter is a very stressful situation for a dog and they will often hide their true colors until they feel safe once again. This is one reason why so many shelter dogs do not work out. But simply skipping any type of temperament testing on the dogs you plan to offer up to families with children is simply inexcusable.

So before rescuing or attempting to rescue a dog do your research; it can turn out to be a battle or too easy. Either way you may loose.

Personalities

As I sit in bed writing this mornings blog I am once again surrounded by the pack. It is a wonderful pack that I have; one that I have only a couple of times had to step in to settle a dispute for. They have never had a fight; I simply won't allow it. My pack consists of very different personalities but they all fit nicely. Jessie is the leader of the pack and a pretty good one at that; I let her know right from the get go that although she was the top dog, I was even above her. There was to be no bullying and no needless bossing.

In the beginning she was a bit of a strong willed kinda gal; typical for the breed. But as she got older she learned that you have to pick your battles. Then there is Tilley, meek and mild mannered she is the most polite dog I've ever met. You can compare her to Lassie I guess. Jessie and her have a great relationship that has grown over the years. They are only 10 months apart in age and because of Tilley's mild personality there is never any issues over top female status. Tilley just goes with the flow having Jessie as the boss; Tilley is happy being one of the pack.

And then we have Luke; very complicated, nervous, extremely intelligent, reactive and highly affectionate. He has been a challenge over the years and never truly matured until the age of 8. The girls adore him although he often pushes them to their adore limits verging barely tolerate. He pushes Jessie for her status but with my assistance she is able to retain her position. He physically harasses Tilley which use to achieve a great game of wrestling. Now at 12 she is not interested in wrestling often; she knows her limits and uses the ignore tactic which works well with Luke; if it doesn't Mom steps in.

All of my dogs have been extremely different; all wonderful but different. Even with all the poodles; their personalities are far from similar. There are traits that I really love about the poodles but each and every one is their own dog.

Leave it

Lastnight as I was doing my guard duty during the dogs dinner I was happily surprised to see Luke eating. But as he came to the last few bites his interest was waning as usual. Jessie was standing by and as she took a step too close Luke let out a deep but very low volume growl. This sent Jessie's head flying in the opposite direction. Although she would love nothing more than to eat his food; she's not stupid.

Luke ate a couple more mouthfuls and moved off. Because Jessie had had enough to eat already I told her to "leave it." She gave me that "I don't know if I can leave it" look. I saw this as a good refresher course because I wasn't feeling like getting up and moving the bowl at that very moment. I left it sitting there and kept one eye on Jessie. This is great training practice and if anyone needs leave it training it is Jessie.

So there I sat on my lounge outside with one eye glued on Luke's leftovers. She was a mere 3 inches from the bowl; very tough at this range. But we've done this hundreds of times and I know she can do it. Luke came and jumped onto the lounge with me which opened up the "she's not watching" though in Jessie's head. As she took her one sneaky step I reminded her with an Ahh and she froze. Then I got up and wandered around; keeping one eye on the bowl.

I will never stop being amazed by this activity; she could easily take the food that is inches from her face but I (the boss) have told her not to. Truly amazing.

Vacations over

Well I've been official off since the 23rd; and had a relaxing and much needed time off. Now it's Monday after the fun and time to get back at it; and my main focus is of course dogs. I've got a huge array of things on my plate; books to finish writing, photos to capture for my many coffee table books I'm working on, and several new endeavors I'm just getting started. Life is like a puzzle and fitting all the pieces together can be a challenge; sometimes feeling like you are working against a clock.

After a vacation your mind seems more at ease with taking on new tasks and it is clearer to see what things are important and what things can fall by the wayside. Dogs being just about everything in my life I plan on working on my website; adding new information to help canine guardians. The one book that I really want to get finished is my training book; it has been in the works for several years and has been pushed aside by other commitments. So that book will take at least #2 status as of now.

Have a great week and I must get to the gym.

One on one time

One on one with your dog; yep it is extremely important. Do you remember when you were a kid; if you had brothers and sisters how great it felt when you got to spend one on one with your parents? I know it made me feel pretty special; it was a time to share without getting lost in the crowd so to speak. I have two sisters and two brothers so getting some individual time was a treat. The same goes for your dogs; if you have two or more then you have a pack of dogs and although a pack of dogs is a wonderful thing they need their alone time.

Alone time is especially important when you have a puppy; you don't want the puppy bonding with the other dogs and not you. You need to become the most important thing in your dog;s life; the leader. Dogs in a pack will usually figure out the pack dimension; occasionally they can't quite figure it out and we must step in. If the dogs are always together they will be handicapped when you take them out alone. I have seen this alot when people never have alone time with individuals. By removing a dog and spending quallity alone time with them, taking them on walks or just getting out and socializing you allow each dog to grow to their full potential.

Dogs act very differently when they are on their own. A dog who is a confident member of a pack may be a very fearful dog when removed from the pack; their comfort zone. Socializing is extremely important; the more you introduce your dog to the more comfortable they will be in general about life as a whole. And when you take them out alone they flourish; they can experience life without the shadow of the pack. Even when you only have two dogs; individual time is extremely important.

If you have a big pack then you can do individual time and switch around pair time. This allows each dog to bond to the others without the whole pack watching. New relationships can form resulting in a very happy pack. Having a pack of dogs is work; and often one member can get lost in the crowd. This is a sad situation because removed from a large pack this individual may thrive. Sometimes certain dogs are not meant to be large pack dogs; and these dogs are best placed in a home with perhaps only one other member.

Remember how wonderful it feels to be given one on one attention; then give that gift to your dogs.

Greeting

Having been home now for 2 days since visiting the beautiful city of Victoria BC the dogs are settling down somewhat. It takes them few days to realize that we are not leaving again. When we did arrive home late Wednesday evening they went crazy. Tilley was smiling, Jessie was doing her tiny horse routine, trotting around with a toy in her mouth and Luke.......................well Luke was going ape. He was spinning, jumping, huffing and biting my hair. Hair biting is reserved for the big greetings or for when he is in an exceptionally excited mood.

Although we got the big parade greeting when we got home from our trip; we often get nothing now. Luke will be 9 in two weeks, Tilley is 12 and Jessie 13 so sometimes no one comes to the door. Jessie's hearing is not what it use to be so many times she simply doesn't hear us. Tilley finds it harder to get up so although she may know we are home; it's alot of work to get up and greet us. And Luke is just plain lazy sometimes; waiting for us to come and greet him.

They are a funny bunch and there is nothing like coming home to your dogs.