Do it; don't think about it.

This morning I was bringing breakfast upstairs; I was planning on bringing it up and then going to get Tilley next. Low and behold she followed me quickly upstairs; this gave me pause. Wow; no hesitation, no coaxing, no cheering her on to take that first step. Tilley just came up the stairs but how when I typically have to give a three minute speech about going up the stairs did she just run up the stairs no problem? She wasn't thinking; she was simply following the food.

How many times has someone asked you for direction and you stand there dumbfounded? I know I do it a lot; I can get to where they are asking no problem but when I have to think about how I get there it seems so much more difficult. Just do it; this is the famous slogan of the huge NIKE conglomerate but it is very fitting for this subject. Ah; the brain, a wonderfully intense and mystical thing it is. Often a dog gets caught up in a "thinking about it" scenario; much like we humans do. It can be difficult but if you can get them out of the "thinking" zone and get them into the doing zone you can help them alot.

Many dogs with fear issues need to be assisted past the "thinking" part. Great food is often the trick; but it has to be good enough food that they stop thinking about what they are afraid of. Tilley did that this morning and it was a process; she followed me out of the kitchen and up the stairs without thinking about it. Had I stopped at the bottom of the stairs; more than likely she would have entered into the thinking zone. Momentum is needed when you want to skip past the thinking zone; you must keep going while you can and don't stop.

This also works well with dogs who have issues walking past other dogs. Many trainers will recommend having your dog sit; not a good idea at all. This tells your dog a couple of things; 1. That there is an issue, 2. Gives them time to "think" about it, and 3. That you believe this to be an issue. So instead; bringing out the big guns with regards to food treats overrides the thinking part and keeping moving gets rid of even the slightest consideration of there being an issue.

So; just do it. Questions?

Friday woot woot

Okay; I'm blogging late this morning, thought I'd get a walk in and see if anything inspired me to write about. Not much exciting happened; a couple of labs, a couple of little yappers but nothing to write home about. So I'll talk about Tilley and the fact that she has turned a corner; I believe. Tilley was stricten with Idiopathic Vestibular disease on the 11th of January. It has been a slow and arduous recovery and hopefully she will continue to recover.

Yesterday was the corner turning moment; she walked out the dog door on her own and made her way up the outside steps to the kitchen door where I was making dinner. Huge. Then lastnight as we were watching television she got up; went out the dog door and I followed her (out the regular door). She sniffed around a bit and went back in. It was obvious that she just wanted to do it because she could.

Today she had a tiny sprint outside and then back in again after her first trip out this morning. She had a spring in her step and I actually had to stop her before she went flying into the wall. She is still super wobbly and unstable on her feet but she is really, really happy. Could be the personal cheer person she has for any tiny success she has. I know she sure loves to hear me cheer her on and it get's that old tail wagging.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Strange behavior

Along with the golden that was being yanked on the other day; we also saw a yellow lab that was exhibiting strange behavior. It was obvious that the owner didn't trust what her dog was going to do as we approached. I don't trust Jessie either so I just keep her at my side; typically stepping off the path to add some needed space and we continue our walk. I know that my dog is securely on the end of her leash; and she was involved with a serious smelling session at the lamp post as they were walking by anyway.

I watched the dog very closely as they walked by some other dogs. The dog seemed to be holding back; not quite shutting down but almost and at the final moment when the other dog passed he lunged out and was quickly moved to shutdown. I watched this sequence again as they passed a small dog; he was holding back, his body was showing signs of fear by his slunk down body posture and his darting eyes. Of course this interesting behavior had 100% of my attention and a question mark associated with it as well. Why was this dog lunging at the last possible moment but yet holding back well in advance of the passing?

As they approached and walked by us it was all too clear; the pinch collar. You know the collars that look like they have spikes on them? Spikes that face the inside of the collar and dig into the dogs neck. This dog had a clear association to the collar; running out to the end of your leash=pain. So he was restraining himself until he could no longer; and at the final moment just had to lunge. Unfortunately this is fallout behavior from the collar; the guardian probably has no idea.

The pinch collar is a better collar than a choke or slip collar in regards to damaging a dogs trachea but because it induces pain; causing pain results in behaviors that can be worse than a dog that pulls. What the dogs gets from the pain which is inflicted when they dart to the end of the leash or when they are yanked on by their owner is pain associated to whatever happens to be happening at that time the pain is inflicted. Typically it is another dog; so when other dogs approach the dog receives pain. Think about that for a moment; not a good association is it? The dog receiving the pain is now thinking that the cause of the pain is the other dogs; hence the lunging behavior is now accompanied with a whole new slew of unwanted behaviors.

Pain is never the answer to fix a problem. Pain introduces more problems by simply being.

COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My inspiration for this blog came yesterday on my early morning walk with Jessie. As often happens; just seeing others interact with their dog sparks a thought for my blog. All I saw yesterday morning were goldens and yellow labs; this is about a juvenille golden walking with her Mom and Dad. She was at the end of her very long leash doing her business (it was not an extension leash). Once she was done Mom cleaned up the mess and Dad decided to use this time to work on the "come" exercise.

Being that she was on a regular long leash; allowed me to see more of what was going on. I was at quite a distance but watched intently as Dad yanked and pulled on is uncooperative youngster. The man was growing more angry by the minute and yanking harder and harder on the leash; reeling his dog in like a bass. Now if you are a regular reader of my blogs you already know that dogs learn through association. What do you think the association to being yanked on is? Negative.

Humans would get the whole "if you come to me I won't yank on you." But dogs associate the yanking to anger which in turn keeps them away from you. Now had this gentleman started training at home; creating a very positive association to come he could have pulled this out at the park. By lavishing gobbs of affection and really yummy treats for your dog coming to you; you up the chance of it happening again and again.

Hey; put a chocolate truffle in front of me and I'll jump through hoops for ya.

;)

So much is said

So much is said between dogs; if you really sit and watch carefully it is quite amazing. Yesterday I was playing with my new camera; of course my dogs were my subject once again. While I was shooting I was also paying very close attention to what Tilley was doing. And to my surprise she picked up a toy, brought it to the grass and started playing with it. Playing was just mouthing the toy but it was playing and she was in a great mood. This started a whole sequence of behavior from everyone. Once Tilley was done with the toy (or not) Luke grabbed it and started tearing around like a crazy dog; which in turn kicked Jessie's "I'm the boss" into gear. The pictures above are a few from the shoot.

First; is Luke proud as a peacock that he has the toy. Then Jessie is about to discipline him for being a fat head. They had a few words (too cute) and then Luke settled to destroy the toy. Once that was all done they all lay on the double lounge. This is Luke's regular spot so he was a bit put out that Tilley was on it; she is rarely on this lounge, not her thing. But once they were all on the lounge together I thought some family portraits were in order. Tilley was tired from her playing; Jessie was freezing, afterall the sun was setting here in SoCal. And Luke was filled with attitude about the whole thing.

What a pack; full of differences and fun.

Time to get back at it

Okay; the holiday season is over, Tilley is recovering albeit very slowly, the rains have stopped and I'm back in town so time to get back at it. I have alot on the go at the moment; private photo shoots, stock photo shoots, book shoots and getting all the books together and out. Today will be spent scheduling and organizing; not my favorite part of shooting dogs by a long shot but something that needs to be done.

Tilley will go out today for a walk; or sort of walk. She needs to get moving and it is hard to get her to move much at home other than from one bed to another. She is at this point happy and eating very well; infact she is sniffing around to find whatever she can scrounge up which is good to see. She is still far more unstable than I thought she would or should be at this point but factoring in that she is nearly 13 years of age may play a huge role in speed of recovery.

The sun is out this morning and the week is to hover around the mid 60s, nice. I will take advantage of the cooler weather and enjoy it as long as it hangs around. Luke has his day off today; he had lots of exercise with Dad over the weekend. So it will be a small jet around the park for Jessie and a very small stagger for Till. Today is a good day; so first to the gym and then on with the rest. Have a great week everyone.

Where are all the dogs

Wow what a difference a day makes. Yesterday morning I woke up with the sunrise and 75 degree temps in Mexico. This morning it is a chilly 37 degrees here in Southern California. I spent the last four days in Mexico; it was beautiful, simply breathtaking but there were very few dogs. As I stood one morning taking in the sunrise I did notice a woman on the beach with her two schnauzers. And while we took in the town; the very small town of San Jose we noticed a few chihuahua's around. Most were chi mixes but still were small; white, beige or light golden in color. I saw no other dogs while driving through the area. I'm sure that most of the hotels do not welcome dogs but there were a few facilities that looked more like "condo" types where the dogs were coming from.

I know that there are many dogs in Mexico; just not in the outlying areas. In fact there is a huge Mexican Kennel club; but I have never attended a mexican dog show. The two official Mexican breeds are the chihuahua and the Xoloitzcuintle. I have had the pleasure of meeting several xolo's and did a wonderful shoot with them. They have no coat except for a few hairs here and there and many sport a tuft of red hair between their ears. Although you will probably never see one here in North America they are very popular in Mexico.

So this morning as I type this surrounded by my three; I'm happy.

Tiny old dogs

We met a very old dog the other night in Mexico. We were shopping in a small town in a little shop where I had seen some shoes I liked. As I tried on shoes my husband asked the owner of the shop if the little dog in the corner was his. That's when we got the details of this little dirty old chihuahua curled up in the corner. The little girl was 18 years old; she now had no teeth and spent her days in the shop. She was adorable; and barely raised her head when my husband bent down to touch her tiny head. She gave him a brief "hi" and lowered her head down again and fell back into a deep sleep.

As I watched her crooked lumpy body in the corner laying on the hard concrete floor I couldn't think of anything but the fact that she needed a bed. As my dogs are well into their senior years we have made it very comfortable for them. Each dog gets a new bed as theirs becomes too flat and they all have blankets that keep them warm at night. He told me that each day he cooks beef or chicken for her; having no teeth he cut it into tiny pieces.

As I wandered around the store; occasionally glancing at the old lady in the corner I wondered about her life. What had her life consisted of; it looked like she had had puppies, maybe several litters. But looking at her now she was obviously comfortable and at home here. Dogs and people just belong together.

Missing dogs

Have you ever been somewhere amazing; I mean really amazing, and you just know it would even be more amazing if you had your dog by your side? It is really tough leaving our dogs at home and there are alot of places that our dogs are not welcome. Thankfully more and more place are becoming dog friendly as our dogs become more important in our life. Not all facilities are in on this but the really great ones looking for your business are.

When I am away without my dogs I'm always scanning; scanning for a hound to talk to. Pretty much anyone will do; I just need a dog fix. We have been approached by many people in California who when they see our dogs confess how much they miss their own who are back home.

There are quite a few sites that share this "dog friendly" info with you.


Dogfriendly.com is probably the biggest. But most Countries, States, Regions and Provinces have their own local sites.

If you've ever been to a facililty that boasts that they are dog friendly; be sure to give a review somewhere so that other canine guardians will get the news.

Have a great day; see ya tomorrow.

Up and at it

I'm up early; couldn't sleep. I lay in bed for a while listening to the sounds of my dogs; even when they are sleeping they make quite a bit of noise. Of course they don't make as much sound as some breeds; namely the brachycephalic breeds. This group of breeds includes the flat faced dogs; the pugs, boxers, bulldogs, bostons, frenchies etc. Although these breeds are adorable; then do suffer from respiratory problems that dogs with full length muzzles do not.

These breeds are the direct result of human maniupulation; afterall dogs were not meant to have no face. With the lack of muzzle comes protuding eyes and other structural issues of the face. Looking at how the physiological make of the head structure of these breeds leads one to think "what were they thinking?" But there are a few breeders out there now giving these breeds more face. They will still be the wonderful breeds that they are of today; just with less physical issues to deal with.

So if you love one of these flat face breeds but would like to support the idea of a dog with a bit more muzzle; you'll need to do your research. The breeders are out there; it just might be a little difficult to find them. Worth the effort though.

wet dogs

We have wet dogs for sure today. In all my years here in Southern California I have never seen it rain quite as hard as it was raining several minutes ago. It was coming down so hard with thunder and lightening; something we rarely see here. And the dogs are none to happy about it either. Although sleeping in a rain storm seems to be enjoyed by both dogs and humans; going out in the rain is not a big favorite for many, mine included.

Luke went to the door this morning; rang his bell and waited for me to let him out. The dog door was closed because it had been blowing in with the crazy wind and rain. I heard his bell; and I gave him fair warning "it's pouring out." He looked at me; looked outside and back at me again, as if to say "really?" He quickly changed his mind and decided to further his snooze. I'm lucky; my guys can hold it pretty much until they burst but if you have a puppy, you gotta get them out. And often puppies enjoy playing out in the rain much to your disapproval.

If your dog or dogs are like mine; you may need to go out with them. I simply need to be poured on as well and they are happy to go out. If I stand in the nice dry kitchen; they aren't so willing to go out and be rained on. Many need to go all the way back to kindergarten; treats included. Some dogs will even regress; opting to elimiate in the house where it is not raining. So treats are a must and while your at it; teach them what an umbrella is.

Stay dry

Canine companionship

There is nothing like the companionship of a dog; we all know the joy that they can bring by simply being at our side. But what about companionship for our dogs? Canine companionship? How important is it that our dogs have a canine buddy? Dogs are pack animals and even though we act as pseudo pack members we don't quite make the grade. Sure we can play and be our dogs constant sidekick but we aren't dogs. Just imagine living with a pack of dogs; somewhere isolated. Even the most intraverted type person would probably miss human contact at some point.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of a multiple canine household; but, and this is again a big BUT. There must be desire by the human to have more than one dog. Getting a second dog simply to keep the first one company is not the way to go. You must really want a second, third or fourth dog. I love living with three dogs; I have a wonderful pack that runs as smooth as any naturally assembled pack. I have met many canine guardians who tell me "my dog would hate to share her family with another dog." That may be true; some dogs become so consumed by their undivided attention that adding another can simply be a huge hassle for everyone involved.

Although some dogs may seem to be loner types; it is surprising what adding another dog can do for the only dog. It is extremely important to find the right dog to put with your existing dog; be it a second, third or fourth member. Putting a pack together can be tricky but with a little bit of patience you can find the right one or ones. I love the fact that when I go out; I know that my dogs have the others to chill with. They don't feel as though they have been left alone. And for me; and this is just my opinion, 3 is a great number. Some people find three to be so overwhelming and others don't find three to be enough.

The real issue with having multiple dogs is time and energy. It is very important to give dogs individual time; building a bond with each member of your pack. If you do not take this time then each dog will not thrive to be all the dog that they could otherwise be. Taking each dog out separately and letting them experience life on their own; with you is imperative. It does not need to be done everyday; that would be too much to deal with but at least every couple of weeks. And individual attention within the home is important as well. Taking time to educate each dog; training new behaviors and spending "quality" time builds strong ties.

Multiple dogs can be wonderful; but if you are going to add a second dog simply to keep the first one entertained then think again. Two dogs are more work; which is fine if you really want two or more dogs. You may consider instead; take the time that you will spend feeding, picking up after, grooming and training the second dog and put it on your present dog. Spending more time with the dog you have now may be a better choice. But; if you really want a second or third dog, I say go for it.

Dealing with NON dog people

Of course all of you reading this are dog people; but unfortunately there are people in this world who are not. Understandably some people just don't get dogs; others may be afraid of them because of an incident or simple lack of experience with the canine species. Then there are the people who really dislike dogs but dislike us dog people even more. Often they feel like their rights in life are being shoved aside for dogs and their dog loving guardians. My husband ran into one of these people last weekend.

He was running with Luke down a fairly isolated path; and when they ran past one couple the woman jumped into her "ahhhhhhh a dog;" screaming routine. She continued to scream as they ran by and my husband could still hear her far behind. So; for the sake of people like this it is of the utmost importance to keep your dog to yourself. If someone does not have a dog; there is probably a reason I think. So when I walk by those who are dogless I make sure to give them a large dogfree zone.

It can take but a few people to ruin it for others. You may run into lots of dogless people who love dogs and don't mind your Fido jumping all over them and slobbering down their legs but inevitably you will run into one who is NOT okay with it and they may report you. This is when you start to see the "leash police" out in full force. The bottom line is; if you do not have impeccible control over your unleashed dog; then they should be leashed in a public area. I do not appreciate it when doga run at us when my dogs are onleash. I have Jessie onleash all the time because she is not dog friendly; so if an off leash dog approaches her it makes matters difficult for me.

Also watch body language; you know I discuss this all the time, watching your dogs body language is so important. But; just as important is the body language of other people who are frequenting the same area as you. I've also discussed before how I will take Jessie off a path and make it look like we are not interested in meeting other dogs; I mean really clear. But there are always the people who continue coming my way with a big smile on their face when they finally ask "can they play?" NO; MY DOG IS NOT FRIENDLY. Had they been paying attention they would have already known this.

So as much as you love your dog; and all your friends love your dog, there are people who don't. Being mindful of those few will make our dog world a whole lot better for all of us and our dogs.

End of day 5

It's 10:15 pm Friday; this is the end of Tilley's fifth day with Vestibular disease. Tilley's eyes stopped flashing back and forth on Wednesday night which was a huge relief. She ate food with assistance on Wednesday morning and on her own Wednesday night. Until then I had been syringing diluted baby food into her. Yesterday; day four, I tried not giving her meclizine and she vomited in the morning and didn't eat her breakfast. Several hours after receiving her meclizine she ate and was more steady again. She also drank on her own for the first time yesterday; a sight for sore eyes.

Today she began moving around a bit on her own; she went from one bed to another in the kitchen and seemed to be attempting to get up when I picked her up. When I returned home after a walk with Luke today she wagged; another first in five days. So far Tilley is exhibiting instability, weakness, a head tilt and a left turning navigation that just won't quit. She had two very bad falls yesterday which were very frightening; both for her and I. She is still very apprehensive to take a step and it takes alot of coaxing to get her going.

Tilley had her meclizine this morning but I have not given it to her tonight. She has kept her dinner down and slept the entire evening with her head resting on her Dad. She is on her bed asleep now and her restlessness seems to be subsiding as well. Although her eyes have stopped flashing they are different now. For now we take it day to day and hope for a full recovery in the near future.

The glance

Just one look; a glance was all that was needed to get you out of your chair and waiting on your dog. Do dogs reason? This has been a serious question for years and many have and are researching this very idea. I believe that dogs do reason; to a degree that is. I do not think that dogs consider individual ideas; thinking about the process and the end results. But I do think that they reason in some degree. For instance; Jessie has a bone, Luke wants the bone and knows all too well that he cannot simply take it unless he wishes to risk having his face taken off. So he reasons that running to the front door and barking will result in his acquisition of the prize; he is correct.

Both Tilley and Luke can often be found gazing at a box of cookies on my dresser. They could simply knock the box down and eat the cookies but that is against the rules. This action could simply be considered an association; often I will offer them a cookie when I see that they would like one. So the association has been created authentically. But what if they go a step further and come to find me; communicate to me that they are in need of something? This is the cognitive thought process.

When a dog has the realization that a simple glance can put them into the drivers seat; things can quickly go downhill for you. It is important not to become a servant to your dog as wanting eyes can quickly turn into very demanding and unwanted behaviors. I probably offer up cookies now more often because of Tilley's age and the fact that Luke is as skinny as a rake.

Several nights ago while we were watching T.V. Luke got up and ran upstairs. He quickly returned and stood smack dab in the middle of the room. He stared hard at each person in the room and ran upstairs again. I immediately jumped up to see what the issue was upstairs and upon entering my room found Luke staring under the bed. I thought for a moment that it might be a spider but his ears were held differently; and his face was more in an excited expression rather than his intense spider face. I told him to show me what he wanted; he quickly proceeded to stick his head under the bed. He stayed in that position a few seconds then got up and stared at me again. Ah; something under the bed that you need? It was a ball and it was this particular ball that he wanted to play with. Once he got his ball he ran downstairs and was as happy as a clam.

Yep; he's a thinker. Not all dogs are thinkers; there are many different degrees and types of intelligence in dogs. Your dog is probably alot smarter than you think they are. And not all glances are simple in composition.

Retrieving

Retrieve; to bring back. Over the years I have temperament tested many puppies; testing involves multiple tests, one of which is retrieving. I am offered several different responses when I throw out a small toy or ball and every so often I get a natural retrieve. I cannot help but smile; the sight of a seven week old puppy bringing me back the toy I have tossed out is impressive. But not all puppies have the desire nor natural ability to retrieve.

Over thousands of years humans have been manipulating the dog. It began from the start; dogs bringing prey to their human companions, a natural behavior passed down from the wolf. Then as man evolved so did their reason for keeping dogs; different aspects of the canine were concentrated on by different people. Some desired a cute dog sitting on their lap; with no desire to chase other animals. While others wanted a dog to help in their daily hunting; these were the people who sharpened the natural retrieve instinct.

Most dogs today have some sort of chase drive; although I have seen many of the companion "lapdog" breeds who do not exhibit even the tiniest of drive that was once innate to the canine species. Various dogs will follow an object; contact is made and the item may or may not be taken by mouth. At this point a variety of dogs will end the behavior sequence; while others continue with the retrieve and drop. Even the best of retrievers will often refuse to drop the item. As much as they would like us to toss it again they really don't want to give up their possession.

Much to the dismay of a few canine guardians; the naturally retrieving breed that they selected may not retrieve at all. Why does this happen? A golden retriever that doesn't retrieve? For the same reason a major dog loving person can come from a non dog loving family; individualism. Certain breeds tend to have the same hardwired traits but it is not a surefire guarantee. I have met several Labradors who wanted nothing to do with swimming; odd but these dogs had other things that they loved to do.

So while a breed may be predisposed to natural retrieving; within a litter you may have a vast difference between each puppy. Retrieving can be a wonderful thing; it makes exercising your dog very easy, it can be used to teach a dog to focus and of course be used for many of the performance activities. But retrieving can also go very wrong. Some dogs have such a strong desire to retrieve that it becomes an obsessive one. Tilley is an obsessive retriever; her retrieve took a turn for the worst when she learned about the virtue of a shadow. Shadows are always around; for a dog who wants nothing more than to chase then the shadow is a great thing. But Tilley's problem is her drive to chase more than the retrieve; although given an object to chase she will retrieve until she drops.

Many golden retrievers have driven their guardians to the brink with retrieving. Even the wonderful retrieve can become a problem behavior. Like any behavior; left unchecked and driven by an obsession can unravel, becoming an issue.

So there you have it; if having a retriever carries some importance when choosing a dog, toss something to see if there is any natural retriever in that little puppy. Of course not all amazing retrievers are born; many are created.

Sleeping on beds

Good Wednesday morning; all of my three dogs are sleeping on the bed with me, I like it this way. They don't actually sleep on the bed; they typically join us in the morning when we have our coffee and then when I blog. It is a special time for them and for us. But some dogs should never be on the bed. Beds and sofas hold much controversy; should they or shouldn't they be allowed up? For me there are strict rules about the subject and regulations that need to be set in place.

First; all dogs should ask to come onto the your bed or the couch. And by asking I mean looking and you and waiting the "okay" before coming up.

It should be easy to ask them to get off; no complaining. Any growling, laser beam glares, lip curls or posturing is an automatic ticket to the floor. Many people tell me that their dog growls if they move them around in bed. This is a clear sign as to who your dog thinks is the boss; they are.

If they are not allowed on for some reason on a particular day they should be comfortable laying on their bed on the floor.

Dogs can become very stuck in their ways; like us they are all different. Some do great with routine; others become obsessive about routine. The ability to be flexible is a good trait; both for us and our dogs. If your comes unglued by the simple fact that they cannot lay right beside you; then time to switch it up.

It is fairly simple to link a positive association to "getting off" the bed or couch by rewarding your dog with high value treats for doing so. If you just tell them to get off and shove them off you may end up causing a physical display or challenge. So even though getting off the couch or bed is not the optimum behavior in your dogs eyes; it can be made into an okay thing with a "thank you" tidbit.

So beds and couches are fine; but there must be rules and the rules should essential be your rules, not your dogs. ;)

What a difference a day makes

When something suddenly happens to one of our dogs we go through many different emotions. Yesterday I was still in a state of "what the hell?" How could this happen? Why would this happen? And after reading and researching for hours I came up with my answer; why not? I watched many other dogs staggering around on Youtube; stricten with the same thing that Tilley is suffering from. So as life goes; it just happens but it has left me with such a sense of "what a difference a day makes." The first image from above was taken in October at the Montage. It shows Tilley sowing her oats; having a blast, simply enjoying the day.

The second was taken on Sunday having fun in the surf with her Dad; meer hours before this. This disease that has her bedridden and afraid to take a step in any direction. Today I'm mad; mad for the simple fact that my healthy girl had nearly made it to 13 looking and feeling pretty darn great. I was thinking today that no matter how hard we try; we take healthy for granted. It's true; I try very hard not to take anything for granted but my dogs all being healthy was a given for me. Sure we've had our little bumps along the way and perhaps this will be another bump.

But I can't help but think as I watch Tilley stumble around that this is just not fair. But then again life is not always fair is it?

Tuesday morning update

No improvement as of this morning at 7:00 am. My husband did the honors of carrying Tilley out this morning; my back is feeling the effects of carrying her around yesterday. It is amazing how heavy a 45 lb dog is at a dead weight. When I reach down to pick her up there is no assistance from her; I have to get my hands underneath her body and hoist her to a more upright position first. Then with my legs bent I cradle her into my arms and rise to a standing position. From there I adjust her positioning so that I can see and she is comfortable; thank goodness I've been working out.

Tilley is confused; I can see it in her body language and this is one of the saddest parts of this horrible disease. Most of the time she is on her feet I am cheering her on; the dreaded thing that I don't want is her to think that I'm doing this in some way to her. Dogs are such emotional creatures; I wish I could explain what has happened to her as she looks over her shoulder in attempts to solve this mysterious body snatching puzzle.

She is still on Meclizine which has helped with her nauseas. I syringed water into her again this morning as she will not drink. She is not a big drinker to start with so I must constantly get water into her so that she does not become dehydrated. I offered her a piece of cheese this morning that she shakily ate; but only if I broke it into very small pieces. She was not interested in her dinner lastnight so again I watered down organic baby food and got it syringed into her; she actually likes that and was licking the syringe.

She had a full sleep last night as did we; much needed for all. So today will be a better one and we we'll get after it. For now Tilley is being contained in an expen if I am not sitting watching her every move. She can move about and could seriously injure herself by a simple fall; picture a newborn deer trying to get to their feet. That is what Tilley looks like now; but hopefully not for long.

Peripheral vestibular disease

This is what it looks like when it hits. Tilley's eyes have been reduced to about half the speed by giving her meclizine. It has also helped her to keep her food down.

Peripheral vestibular eyes in motion

Peripheral vestibular staggering

Update

We are back from the vet and sure enough Tilley has Peripheral Vestibular disease. She had her ears checked which looked good so it is most likely not an ear issue which is one of the possibilities. She most likely just fell victim to this; which is most common in old dogs but can happen to young dogs as well. She will hopefully have a complete recovery which can take a week to much longer depending on the disease and the dog. If there is no visible recovery then you must look at other things that can cause this and one is a brain tumor. But we aren't going there; not unless we have to.

So we take it day by day; she got an anti nauseas shot to help her with her appetite. I have a call into my son to pick up some organic baby food as she is not interested in food yet. I'll water it down and syringe a bit into her just to keep her energy level from plummeting.

I missed out on the upper body workout this morning at the gym; but hauling around Miss Tilley at 45 lbs has been a workout I'll tell ya.

Vestibular disease

I've been up since 2am; had a couple of winks between then and now but now I'm up. I was waken by Tilley panting very heavily this morning; being that she'd just had a haircut the panting was strange. Not long after she stumbled around the room with her head wobbling from side to side. Having a dog with epilepsy I knew this was not a seizure but seemed to be some sort of neurological issue. I hopped out of bed and got her outside where she pretty much eliminated everything. She could barely walk; she certainly couldn't walk a straight line.

I had carried her downstairs and out; and carrying her back up the stairs was necessary as well. This is when I wished she was a toy sized poodle. Once back in the room she stumbled around until I forced her to lay down. She slept for several hours while I listened to her breathing and started my research. This is what I came up with after typing in her symptoms: Canine peripheral vestibular disease. I've never heard of it until now.

She has all the symptoms; eyes darting back and forth, head tilted, staggering movement and head wobbling. Being someone who suffers from vertigo I feel horribly for her; she is in a constant state of dizzy. Just imagine being on a never ending ride at the fair; horrible. I will try to get some food into her this morning, don't know if that will happen or not as she has vomited several times.

It seems that there are three different types of the disease. One; starts with a deep inner ear infection, often unseen from the exterior ear. Two; a brain lesion of some type which is a central vestibular issue. And three; commonly seen in older dogs which causes are unknown and usually start to dissipate within 72 hours. I will not panic; I am doing my research so that I am well aware of what I am dealing with. I have just given Tilley a Meclizine to hopefully ease her nauseas.

I will keep you all posted.

Rawhides

Okay; we had a big chew day yesterday. As I have said many many times before I am not a fan of rawhide; BUT Dad went out and got the furkids a treat yesterday. Heck it had been nearly 3 weeks since they had a present so he got them all a nice rawhide. So I gave in and they had a very supervised chew. Just like when they have their chew day; each dog is given one chew and I am there to supervise it all. Luke chose his spot; I chose a spot right beside me for Jessie so I could keep a nice close eye on her and Tilley ran from room to room, inside and out until she felt that she had found a safe place to sit and chew. It took her at least a 1/2 hour to find that spot.

If you are giving rawhide you should look for chews that have been made in either the US or Canada. Try to find the most natural product that you can and chews that are not made up of pieces pressed together. And always always supervise. I know of several dog that choked to death on a rawhide. Also I recommend chewing outside if you have carpets; there tends to be a bit of gum blood involved before the rawhide softens so it will get on the carpet.

They had a great time; I have to say that they sure enjoyed the chewing and these particular rawhides also had dried chicken roled inside for an extra treat. Once they had eaten about a half of the hides then they were removed. Always better to be safe than sorry. Also because this item has such high value; the dogs can become a bit guarding and as far as Jessie is concerned, alot guarding. So that's why I supervise as well. There is no wandering, no sniffing and no approaching anyone else's chew.

The rawhides did their job; we have nice clean teeth and happy dogs.

Grooming

Good Saturday morning all; hope you have a wonderful Saturday. I've been grooming for nearly thirty years (yikes). Of course in the beginning I was pretty awful but I have to say now 29 years later I can do a mean poodle groom. I started with a terrier; Mandy to be precise and at first it was the clippers and then I learned to strip a terrier coat. Not something I ever plan on doing again as it is such a pain. I'd much rather just shave it off; but you then ruin the terrier coat texture, so there you have it.

From terriers I quickly moved to poodles; somewhat easier as it just involves scissoring and clipping, no plucking (except for ears). And having gone from the terrier to grooming a show poodles then to the "poodle" clip to now has been a huge transition. I don't waste my time on fancy clips anymore; basically it all comes off with one swoop, one blade, that's it that's all. At this time of year it takes a bit more time because I like to have some coat on the dogs. It gets cold at night and I like my patio door open so, a little coat helps to keep them warm at night.

I clip them now with the 3/4" blade which gives them a beautiful length but the coat must be blown out and brushed well if the blade is to go through all that hair. It is much easier to just shave it all off like in the summer. So yesterday was a bath and blow out for both poodles and a little Jack Russell. Jessie (my JRT) is a quick wash and wear time gal; in, out and we're done. The downside to the wash and wear is the hair all over my house; so there is good and bad with all coats. The poodle doesn't shed but it must be clipped or scissored.

Grooming is a great bonding time; if you have done your positive association time with grooming your dog will enjoy it. There are parts that they are fans of; like the bath but other than that they seem to like the one on one. I have a new forced air dryer that really helps with the speed in which everything is done; I love it.

So it's off on a run and the clipping time; maybe. It might wait until tomorrow. Have a great day.

Canine Longevity

We are all headed in the same direct; and that is towards getting older and as it happens it is a daily occurance. All creatures on this earth are headed the same way; I don't know of any that go in the opposite direction. It is a sad fact that our dogs do not live nearly as long as we would like; can you imagine having a dog your entire life? Well; in actuality we cannot enjoy our dogs covering our lifespan.

Without accidents or illness dogs typically live between 10-15 years of age. Smaller dogs normally live longer than the big guys; unless disease steps in. There have been several studies done on canine longevity although the stats are difficult to find. I did come up with a few sites I'd like to share with you on the subject which are listed below.

Dr. Kelly M. Cassidy 2007

Wikipedia; Aging in dogs

I have been hearing that many dogs are living longer now. Is it because of great strides in the medical field; better nutrition or simply more importance being put on the family dog? Good question. I don't know how many times I've heard people say; "we had a dog when I was a kid that was almost 20." And in the same discussion they will have told me that their dog ate what was left from the dinner table. I think the fact that more emphasis is being put on the health of our dogs and more guardians are learning and caring about what goes into their dog. And that covers food and medications; we are learning, slowly but surely we are learning. ;)

The play bow

Most people know that when a dog stomps down into a bow position it means that the dog is inviting play. Yesterday Tilley was play bowing to Luke; but that is as far as it went. In an excited state; perhaps wound up by Luke's whirling dervish behavior she invited play. When Luke responded with a play bow this went on for about 5 minutes, just bowing. Once it was clear that Tilley was up for play Luke proceeded where he was abruptly halted. Tilley put on her "face" and sat down ignoring Luke; giving off clear "get lost" signals.

So the initial bow does invite an interaction but like humans they can change their mind. While invited to play; Tilley knows that she is not stable on her feet anymore, surely not stable enough to withstand Luke's body slams. So although she wanted to play; her body said no. This can happen between any two dogs or dog and human; dogs play bow to us as well. But depending on the interaction between the two participants things can change quickly.

I have often seen an invitation to play; the other dog accepts and they start to romp. No sooner does the romping start; it is quickly ended with some serious growls and body language. So the canine guardians are left scratching their heads; what they heck just happened? IF you were watching very closely you would have seen; someone over stepped their boundaries or did something the other didn't appreciate. Thus the game is over; that's it, that's all. No grudges; the dogs simply move on.

So; as clear as a play bow is an invitation to play, proceeding body language must be watched to see how the play, is playing out.

Our lives with dogs

Each morning while out with my dogs I take note of the people walking dogless. The dogless state is such a foreign concept to me that I find myself wondering why people choose to be dogless. I know that some people are not dog lovers; I know as weird as it may seem there are people who just don't get the whole "dog" thing. I know that most of these people would be quickly transformed if they indeed allowed themselves to really get to know a dog. I simply can't imagine being dogless myself.

I never want to be one of those people out walking alone; dogless. When I walk with my dogs I think alot; my thoughts wander from human to canine issues and are filled with the canine/human connection. Our lives are meshed tightly; at least in this home. The mere thought of looking down while in my comfy chair and not seeing a sleeping dog at my feet is a sad thought indeed. Or scootching over to make room for one more dog on the couch. While puttering in the garden; I always have an entourage with me, some help others are happy to be part of the audience. And the constant sense that there is always someone around; someone watching your every move and action, I love that.

I have found that when I am out dogless; that I am constantly thinking "Luke would love this, or Jessie would hate that." Experiencing new places is much more fun with a dog; dogs tend to enhance the world around us, granting us a much larger picture of life itself. The world is a much larger place with dogs; they make us take the time to stop and notice the weird tree in the park that they pee on each time we are there. We notice what they notice; that is if you are paying attention. Do you take the time to notice the line of ants crawling across your yard? Luke does; and because he does, I do.

Watching Tilley chasing shadows makes me much more aware of each shadow cast by the tiniest of creatures; they never go unnoticed by her. And because of her; even when she is not with me I notice the shadows. Witnessing my dogs interact with other dogs is another great joy of living with dogs. Each new acquaintance is met with gusto; and the intricate pieces that each meeting brings to it is large in a dogs life. Even when a dog is not interacting with us they are enriching our lives. Often I am simply in attendance as my dogs enjoy their life; laying closely together all snuggled down they take great comfort in each other. This simple act can be so calming to the spectator, how can this not be a part of our life?

I love the sound of Tilley snoring in the night; Jessie digging up her bed until it is just right. And the sound of Luke as he is in full chase of whatever he is chasing in his dreams; all of this is a huge part of the amazing life with dogs. And I love it.

Shoots

I'm back at it; shooting dogs. My focus (pardon the pun) is now standard poodles; yes that is my focus alot of the time being that I live with standards but now I'm looking for others. I am well into my book and want to finish it up in the next couple of months so I will be out and about. Typically when I do canine shoots for books or magazines they are set up; we have a predetermined appointment both date and time but every so often I'm out driving or walking and I see a shoot before me. If I'm lucky I have my camera; introducing myself I give my quick schpeel and I'm shooting.

Over the years of shooting I have only ever been turned down once. The woman looked at me like I was a criminal; and after that one time I wondered what she thought was going to happen. What could be the worst thing about someone taking your dogs picture? I've been approached many times about having my own dogs photos taken; I always oblige, I'm a proud Mom. I was even approached by a pro photographer at Salt creek where he was doing someones modeling portfolio. The model took the dogs and tried to make them his own; although both dogs looked at me like "what gives?" Both poodles were in full coat and the wind was strong that day; I know the shots would have been amazing.

And over the years of canine shoots I have also been stood up for a shoot. It was for my Dogs in the OC shoot; and luckily I had set up several back to back so I hadn't travelled the distance for nothing. And I'm sure that person now regrets not meeting me on that day. All in all shooting canines is great; it is alot of work if you want to get a great shot. For me a great shot includes a wonderful expression; not always easy to get. A great expression comes from a happy, relaxed dog. I have seen photos of dogs who had a stressed face; but many don't notice that. Being that I specialize in canine behavior I can't miss it. So along with my shooting skills I use my canine behavior skills to get the shot.

So many dogs, so little time.

Back at it-exercise regime

Well; here we are, the first Monday of the New Year. So what better to start off the New Year with than our dogs? Being that it is Monday; my dogs have the day off and a much needed day off at that. They've been hard at it over the last couple of weeks and need a quiet down day; especially Luke. He's been hiking and jogging with Dad nearly every day and loving it I might add. But he's tired and from the look of him laying under the covers on the bed with me; he is in no hurry to get going.

While we're on the subject of exercise; how do you know how much is enough for your dog? There is no guideline for how much is enough for dogs; all dogs being different as well as their guardians, enough exercise is a personal thing. I like to see a dog who is relaxed at home; resting and chill so to speak. Pent up energy can wreak havoc on a dog, your relationship with your dog and even your home and belongings. I remember a dog that I use to see on a regular basis; the guardian was a runner and the breed of dog was a lab. Even at a young age this dog was in the park chasing after her ball that had been thrown clear across the field with a "chuck it." She was run to the point of exhaustion.

Some breeds are go getters; you know the dogs that will keep going until they drop. Tilley is a dog like this; although she has a nice "off" switch at home. In Tilley's younger years; there was never a point where she would stop chasing either a ball or frisbee. It was my job to know when she had had enough. I think the intensity of exercise plays a huge factor in how much is enough. Young dogs that are in good shape can pretty much go all day long; should they? If you are talking about a nice walking hike than sure. If you are planning on running your dog then you should cut the time down and if you are strictly power exercising with a ball, then cut it way down.

When a dog goes after a ball or frisbee it is typically with everything they have. There is alot of stress put onto their body. I've shot alot of dogs in action and when you can stop time and see the stress it is much easier to understand. And just like the runners who can't seem to get enough; you can cause a "need more" scenario with your dog as well. I believe all dogs need to be off leash and running but just as important is environmental stimulus; new things, new adventures. Even taking new routes each day help to stimulate a dogs brain; helping with the relaxation at home.

So more than just quantity is quality of exercise; don't just consider the body but factor in the mind as well.

January 3, 2010

Today's blog is an update of canine issues; being that we will all be starting anew tomorrow I figured I'd wrap up a few things this morning. Last night was another rough one; Tilley was up half the night in, out, in, out and in again. I decided to stay in my own bed this time which enabled me to get a few winks at least. I watched her outside for along while; not sure what was going on with her. She seems fine now; of course she is sound asleep and will catch up today.

Our change of eating structure is going amazingly well. Yesterday I watched Jessie very closely as she finished up her food; I wanted to see that this new behavior was sticking. But she chose not go to her bed but she never left her bowl. She stood tightly against the stove; not moving so much as an inch. She has learned very quickly that when she moves in on someone else's meal; she is removed. After watching her glued to her bowl behavior I asked her to go to her bed; which she did reluctantly. And there she stays until she gets a very LOUD and clear "okay."

I shaved poodle faces and feet yesterday morning; which means we now have a new dog. I cannot believe the transformation of Luke when he gets his face shaved. He goes from a Fozzy Bear type look to Mr. Fancy Pants. I much prefer the Fozzy Bear look but every so often that big fuzz face just needs to come off and start a new. He gets his face washed regularly but being a light colored dog the hair around his mouth stains and it's not a good look. So off it comes and we start the face growing again.

Tilley on the other hand has the most beautiful face; far too pretty to hide behind a mountain of fluff. So she gets her face done more often; and at nearly 13 she is still amazingly beautiful. And speaking of Tilley; she had a little slip up behavior wise lastnight, yes even the incredible Tilley is still a dog. We were finished watching our movie and getting ready to head up to bed when she leaned over and grabbed the last coconut square off the plate which had been sitting right in front of her nose. I reactively yelled out AAAHHHHHH and she dropped it immediately. Being the dog she is; she froze and was mortified by the turn of events. She stood there; as if cast in stone not knowing what to do. We ended the ordeal for her by putting everyone out for what we thought was there last trip out for the evening.

Why had Tilley grabbed the goodie off the table? Unfortunately she has learned a bad behavior by experiencing it often. My son often eats downstairs while watching tv; he most often leaves his dishes and leftovers there on the coffee table. Tilley has learned that the food is up for grabs once all the people have left. This is something we will be working on in the coming weeks(WITH THE HUMANS.)

And speaking about Tilley yet again; her wound which was left from applying bloodroot is healing; slowly but surely. It is difficult to airdry the wound and keep Tilley from licking it. When she does get at it and in attempts to heal it herself by licking; she undoes alot of healing that has already taken place. So with the least amount of bandaging as possibly it slowly healing.

With Monday around the corner Luke will be needing his day off. After slowly getting himself up and at it lastnight after the movie he limped to the door. He was stiff; he's had alot of major exercise over the holidays and is just starting to show his age. When no one calls him to get a move on Monday morning; it will be a welcome one, for all I think. But Monday morning will be my call to get a big move on while the dogs rest

massaging your canine

Yesterday I had a fabulous massage at the spa; with all the photo shooting, sitting at the computer and lifting weights I was pretty knotted up. This of course got me to thinking about massaging our canine companions. I often massage my dogs and they definitely enjoy it; even Luke who can be a little unsure if you try something new on him. Most dogs love a good massage; but there are dogs who object to that degree of touching for some reason or other. A dog can be uncomfortable receiving that level of touch simply because they are not accustom to it; they may be unsure or they may have never learned to enjoy touching so much.

It is fairly simple to warm your dog up to being massaged using positive association. If you have a puppy then your work will be easy; puppy's are easily pliable and you can introduce new things to them that sometimes are difficult to introduce to an adult. Depending on the level of acceptance you have from your dog regarding touching will factor on how quickly you get to the actual massage. Using a favorite treat you will start with short touches; start with the most accepted area of touch to start off with and work your way to the "hot spots."

Most dogs have foot issues; you touch they pull away but with lots of repetition and gentle firm touches associated with really great treats you can even have a dog that loves to have their feet rubbed. Tilley has always loved to have her feet rubbed and after talking to her breeder; apparently Tilley's Mother loved it as well. If you have a very nervous dog then it may take you months to achieve a full body massage but stay persistent and keep it at baby steps to reach your goal. Never force a dog to accept touch, convince them that it is a great thing. Make sure that each session no matter how short; ends on a positive note.

Be confident when touching your dog; if you are unsure and apprehensive they will know it and become wary. A sure and steady hand helps to relieve any apprehension. Stay calm; zen like and your dog will follow suit. Massaging your dog is an amazing bond building exercise; total trust is required by both and when you achieve this, it's only up from there.

A quick look back

Happy New Year everyone. As we start the New Year it is natural to look back at the old and try to remember what the year consisted of. Last year was not monumental; nothing extraordinary marked 2009 for me except that at the very end my book Dogs in the OC got some notoriety. But let's have a quick look.

January 09 brought with it some of the not so great things about living with dogs. Cleaning up and new great grooming equipment.

My book (Dogs in the OC) was finally sent to the publishing company and in February I awaited the first printed copy.

March consisted of alot of behavior talk and dealing with the fact that I live with one of the most fussy dogs in the world, and continued to bash my head up against the wall. a big 12 years old in March 09.

In April 09 I was in full shoot mode with many many greyhound sessions. Learned a ton about the breed, heard many wonderful stories and got to meet a ton of great dogs.

May is a busy birthday month; my birthday, my hubby's birthday and Jessie. Last year Jessie turned 13.

June brought lots more discussions on behavior and dominance.

I had a quick trip back home in July; discussed the fear factor and the idiot vent.

August was the beginning of the hot season for Southern California. A time I don't really enjoy but it does get me up and going early, really early. We also celebrated Luke's 9th birthday, a big turning point for our baby and I believe he finally matured this year ;)

Wind, dog behavior, a sense of smell, walking in the park, canine zones and the myth of dog food were all just a few of the September blog subjects.

Toxins was an important subject in October; as was having fun and the golden years.

November brought the "Don't even get me started" series #1, #2, and #3.

December had a bit of a negative tone to it for Tilley; but she got through it and we learned about a very new treatment. And we talked about jewels.

Above is a tiny glimpse of what 2009 covered here on Just dogs with Sherri. I hope you stick around to see what 2010 will bring. I can guarantee there will be lots of dogs talk and no subject is off limits.

Happy 2010 all.