Obsessive

Yesterday I met an obsessive dog.  The moment I met her I noticed her notice the shadows.  She was a shadow chaser.  Having had a compulsive shadow chaser it takes me but a fraction of a minute to see the behavior in other dogs.  Not only was this dog a shadow chaser but a chaser of anything that was moving.  Unfortunately I chose to wear a shirt that was about the worst choice for a dog like this.  My t-shirt (one of my favorites) has sequins all over the front.  So each time the sun catches them it shoots tiny lights onto everything around me, sort of like a mirror ball effect.  Think disco ball.  

I wasn't there to deal with this dogs behavior, I just happened to notice the behavior while in the yard.  I also had my camera with me and like my shirt it kept reflecting lights caused by the sun hitting certain spots on it onto the walls, bushes and ground. The dog was going crazy and became completely transfixed on the lights.   Then a butterfly flew by and it momentarily grabbed her attention, intense desire to chase attention that is.

Compulsive;  An irresistible persistent impulse to perform an act.

Tilley had this behavior issue as do many other dogs and it can quickly turn into a problem.  Given enough fuel it can become a compulsive behavior that is hard to crack.  When I finally discovered that this shadow chasing was a major issue for Tilley I stopped it.  That said it was never gone, just the chasing part was gone by means of verbal reprimand.  I simply didn't allow her to indulge in the act of the chase.  She was a dog with extreme drive to chase (typically called prey drive).  Just stopping a dog with this much drive is nearly impossible, you must give them an opportunity to chase safely, channeling the drive.  

We opted to use retrieving, first with balls and then went to discs where Tilley excelled in the sport.  She loved it and could quite literally disc all day long.  Her shadow issue was never gone, just under stringent control.  She knew that shadow chasing out in public was strictly prohibited.  She was allowed to do it to a degree at home in the safety of her own yard.  But when we were out it was balls or discs and that was that, a solid, cast in stone rule.  

For dogs with this level of drive you must find an outlet, otherwise they will find their own and it can become a problem. Working on the problem takes time and patience.  You must get in before the chase is in full force or the or the dog becomes unreachable mentally.  Once a dogs gets into the 'zone' it can be very difficult to communicate on any degree other than physical.  That means a great deal of obedience training in non trigger places must be done then adding small amounts of trigger distractions.  

After you have some degree of control obedience wise you need to find the replacement, whether that is ball retrieving, lure coursing, frisbee or flyball.  You must find a replacement.  Left to their own devices and not given an outlet for the drive it can manifest into something horrible.  If you happen to see the first glimmer of an obsessive chase behavior, nip it in the bud.  I've been watching Elsa from the get go, she does notice shadows but is not driven to chase them.  Having lived with a dog that compulsively chased shadows I am always on the look out now.  I cannot go to the beach without noticing the shadows cast by the birds as they head down the coast.  Funny the things that life experience throws at you.   I'll never look at shadows the same again thanks to my amazing Tilley girl.  

Touchy feely

As I type this Elsa is across my lap.  Not the easiest way to type but we make it work.  Elsa is what I call, touchy, feely.  There isn't a better name for her need to touch.  I've used the term before; Tilley was very much not a touchy feely type of gal and we have in all our years of having dogs never had one with the degree of it as Elsa.  She came this way, from the moment she joined our family things were different for the other dogs and for us.

I often talk to people who wish they had a dog that loved to snuggle.  Many dogs are not fans of hugging or having very close proximity to even their owners.  Some dogs love snuggling with their owners but as far as people they don't know; keep your distance.  Each and every one is different, very,very different.  Luke is very affectionate, he loves to get in close and snuggle tight.  He can snuggle for a very long time before growing tired of it.  We actually have snugglefests.  Like I said, Tilley was not the snuggly type although she loved to lay on our lap and was always close.  But she was never comfortable with being hugged, that is if you approached her for a hug.  If she was beside you on the couch she loved to hug and I could even put her on my lap and hug away and she enjoyed that.  

Dogs are so sensitive in their communications that there can be the most subtle changes in affection that we sometimes don't get.  Our body language says a lot to a dog and as humans we typically don't get how to approach or interact with dogs appropriately.  I know lots of people who feel like they should be able to walk up to any dog, pet, hug or kiss them.  This is a very unwise thing to do.  Many people also want to get their face right there, in a dogs face; this is also not a good idea.

 What an owner can do is extremely different from what a stranger can do and be accepted as an okay behavior.  I'm a crazy dog lover as you all know but there are lots of dogs that I never touch, even the cutest ones.  Then there are times when I pet a dog because I have read all the signs.  Last weekend I met a huge doodle, a Golden Doodle who was not golden but gray.  He was really huge, one of the biggest I've seen and gave off the "Golden" lovebug vibe.  He was sitting getting his picture taken by me and then I approached him for a chest rub.   I bent down, turned sideways and scratched away.  He put his head back, got googly eyes and rested his very large paw on my arm.  He was accepting of the interaction.  But that is as far as I took it, even that was a lot for a stranger greeting in my books.

I remember another time when I actually kissed a dog on the face; the act itself caught me off guard.  I shocked myself, strange eh?  This is something I would never do but this 5 month old Borzoi that I was shooting kept wrapping her long neck around mine and smelling my face.  Several times I pet her head and her face as she did this and then after about 30 minutes of interacting she continued with her desire to be very close.  When she wrapped that gloriously long neck around mine again, bringing her face across mine I had no choice but to kiss it.  I think what shocked me was that she was big, seemingly much older but she was just a baby.  Typically you can do much more as far as touching with a baby.  I've picked up lots of puppies and kissed them, it a good interaction if they feel the same.   She was probably 28" tall at the time, a very big puppy.

So back to Miss Elsa, the most touchy feely girl that I know.   She often pushes the limit with Luke and she did with Tilley, draping herself completely over her.  She is a weighty dog, which I have talked about.  Even though she is under 50 lbs she feels like she is made of lead.  So her touchy feely stuff can be annoying if you are under it.  Each morning when she comes onto the bed she lays her whole body over mine, that's where she likes to be.  With strangers she is bubbly and likes touch but it is still very different than her own pack.

Dogs like people are all different.  You must accept who they are as an individual and if that is a non affectionate type then that is who they are.  Many dogs can learn to enjoy touch, it just takes time and patience.  I am learning to be Elsa's pillow, a different roll for me.  But know your dogs boundaries with strangers.  I know I don't want a stranger coming up and hugging me, something bad most definitely would come out of that behavior.

Heads up

This morning I am sitting thinking about where to take the dogs.  I'm not one to go on the same walk day in and day out.  Lots of people do; I see the same folks walking by my house everyday, same time too.  Don't they get bored?  I get bored on walks easily, especially if I was just walking down the street.  I like scenery so I always get in the car and go to a park, field or beach.

A couple of days ago I was at a park with Elsa, we were doing lots of heel training when a lady went by with her lab.  The lab seemed like a nice dog.  As Elsa and I took a sharp right turn the lab tried to follow us; the lady held on as the dog continued to choke itself.  Yes it had a choke collar on.  We passed this same dog a couple of times on our walk and as I watched the woman going around bushes, over bridges and around the field she was literally dragging her dog everywhere.  This brought to mind the subject of communication.  Why not tell your dog where you are going instead of simply yanking?

If you have a well trained dog then communication doesn't need to come in the verbal form, it can just be body language.  Imagine walking with your human partner hand in hand and suddenly taking a sharp left, then in a few minutes you lunge right without any heads up.  That person who's hand you are holding would more than likely be letting go of you pretty quickly.  How annoying?  More than likely in reality you would have said "let's go this way or that way" right?  Then why not give your dog the same courtesy or 'heads up?'

The lady with the lab was with her small daughter who was riding a bicycle around the park.  This meant that there was lots of direction changes many of them sudden.  I even saw the woman trying to get her dogs head out of a bush by leaning back and putting her weight into a long and tedious tugging match.  That poor dogs neck was taking a beating.

Teaching your dog direction changes is really easy.  All you have to do is have their attention and repeat the same word each time before you turn in a certain direction.  My words are lets go, turn and this way.

Let's go; mean to stop sniffing, looking or whatever you're doing and come with me.  In the training stage they are rewarded for following along with me.

Turn; means that I will be turning into the dog.  Typically this is used when I we are heeling.  I want the dog to understand that they must hold back as I turn and then turn with me.  This is learned very fast usually.

This way; has a broader use.  It can be used on leash or off.   What it means is that I am changing direction so heads up.  Then the dog must follow whatever way I am going.  On a heel it means I'm turning right so the dog must hurry around to keep up.

When you use these words or any other words to communicate direction changes it becomes routine.  I use them without thinking and shudder when I see people just yanking their dog around as they turn or change direction.  A simple heads up can make all the difference.
  

A stroller?

The other day as we were heading to the dog walk I spotted this little gal in her stroller.  I just had to get a photo of her so I asked her Mom about it and her.  This little girl has had several back surgeries, common in dachshunds sadly.  So instead of being left at home she went to the dog walk with them.  Funny when we see dogs in strollers we immediately feel the need to roll our eyes but they are not all dogs being treated as humans.  Little Schatzie is very lucky to have a Mom that has bought her this amazing stroller to go out in.

I am a big fan of this stroller, for the reason that she was in it.  No I do not like to see dogs who are healthy and fit being pushed around in a stroller or carried in a bag for that matter.  Dogs should walk, no matter what size they are.  But if they are old, injured or sick then why not?  I think it's great.  I had already decided that when Jessie got very old and could no longer walk very far anymore that I would get her a dog carrier that is like a back pack for her.  It allows you to take a dog out and about rather than just leave them at home.   I imagined going on a big hike and having Jessie along for the ride, so cute and great.

My husband and I have talked about Luke as he ages and decided that if the day came when he could no longer do a walk then we will get a wagon for him, yep a little red wagon.  If he could get use to enjoying being in it that is.  Wouldn't we want someone to do the same thing for us?  If we are injured we have wheel chairs so that we can get out.  Being stuck in the house is no fun for anyone or any dog for that matter.  Dogs like us need to get out, I can't imagine staring at the same four walls every single day.

There are many styles of strollers and carriers for dogs.  This one pictured above with Schatzie in it was a beauty.  I think it is sad when people use them for dogs who are fine.  Dogs that should be enjoying a walk on the ground.   But for those who need them, I give their owners kudos for spending the money so that their dog's can get out and enjoy life even though they cannot walk for whatever reason.

Next time you see a little munchkin in a stroller, don't assume that their owner likes to pretend the dog is a little human.  Instead.....ask and you may discover that the little dog in the stroller is a very lucky one like this little gal.

Aversion training

Training should be fun

As you all know I am a positive trainer; I am actually known as a cross over trainer.  That means that I use to use one method of training and now I have.......................................well crossed over.  :)  One thing first, I have never taught aversion type training.  When I started teaching training I was already well into my positive years.  My aversion training started very early on, at the age of 13, way back then that is all that there was.  Sadly I was trained under one of the harshest type trainers, she was brutal.  Even back then as a youngster it just didn't feel right to me.

I am surprised that conventional harsh training methods are still out there, it truly is mind boggling.  But it is and with the experience that I have with it and all the research I have done over the years I surely know why it should not be around.  I see it more now than I did several years ago; only because that it was made popular by Cesar Milan's television show.  I walked past a woman on the weekend with a small cute dog and she was tsssscccht ing it the whole time.  This is a dead giveaway to a Cesar follower.

Once you truly learn and understand how a dog learns and communicates only then will you know why aversion training is so bad.  When I see people yanking, yelling, shocking and growing discouraged I want to step in and show them a better way.  When you use aversion methods of training you build a negative association around the whole aspect of training.  Dogs are all about association.  Just today Elsa dove happily off the bed first thing in the morning when called by my husband to come.  Yesterday she would not budge thinking that she was just being ousted off the bed.  Yesterday she went for her first 5:00 am run and this morning she had already associated the early morning run with the call to get off the bed.  Being removed from the bed very quickly became a positive instead of a negative.

 Some dogs learn faster than others, with positive training you need to have patience.  You also need to be creative because the same approach to a new behavior will not work on all dogs.  With positive training you try the normal routine and watch; if it works great, if not you try something else.  Building piece by piece until the dog fully understands.

Aversion training builds frustration and anger, I see it happening all the time.  People trying to stop their dogs behavior by yanking, yelling and even alpha rolling them(pinning a dog on it's back and staring them down, horrible.)  The more the dog fights against it the more anger that builds in the owner. No, aversion training is not fun for anyone.  It can also be detrimental in that it creates fallout behaviors.  Behaviors that are caused by stress, anxiety, fear and a negative association.

If every time you walked out of your front door you were given a shock or a yank on your neck, would going out that door not become a stressful event?  Most definitely it would be and you would stop.  So this is how aversion training works, if you do what what the trainer doesn't want you to do you are punished by negative means.   With this comes the fallout, dogs can form all sorts of fallout behaviors from aversion training.  Anything from anxiety to aggression and everything in between.  So not only does aversion training cause negative associations, it also creates new fallout behaviors that need to be dealt with. If they in turn are dealt with by aversive methods then you have the never ending vicious circle scenario.

Aversion training needs to be done with, left back in the history books with many other things that we use to do wrong.  Thankfully Cesar's show has been cancelled but I'm sure he'll still be around somewhere yanking away. We are evolving, or at least we should be; not going backwards.  Using aversion methods of training is doing just that, going back to the days before we knew better.  There is a better way, it may be a change but it is worth taking the time to learn and understand.  Your dogs, my dogs, all dogs deserve it.

Remember; training should be fun, if it's not then you are doing something wrong.
 
Let me add this because of a comment given; although I am a positive trainer I also use stop tactics.  Mostly my voice and I also use consequences, meaning that if you break the law you will be removed.  Don't come when called? I'm coming to get you.  There is no pain or anger used, just seriousness when required.  I do not believe that it can all be done while smiling and skipping across a field of daisies.

What's in the bag

Good Monday morning.  Saturday my husband, me and the two poodles headed over to the local DAWG walk.  We were there for the social aspect of it.   The event is small one but close so off we went.  I think the best thing about the event is the Disc dogs, it is the group that Tilley and I got to play with a couple of times.  Amazing dogs with amazing throwers.  Just a few minutes there and my husband was handed the ever present "goody bag."  He hauled it around reluctantly knowing that I would want to check it out when we got home.

There are some booths set up, a few rescue groups, THE VET THAT ASKED ME NOT TO RETURN WITH TILLEY, some trainers and not all positive which is a big surprising these days and a few other random set ups.  Nothing to write home about.

Once home I sat on the livingroom floor with two very interested dog noses in the bag as I went through it.  "What's in the bag?"  The bags are typically advertising and big name brand products.  But occasionally there is something new and quality that I hadn't seen before.  So with Elsa nudging through everything I brought out and Luke patiently eyeing it all I donned my glasses for a read.  Much of the contents were tossed immediately.  I ran through the papers that are always in the bag fast, reading anything new which there wasn't much of.

Next onto the goodies, a "greenie type" bone that claimed to be very different from greenies.  They may be edible but the choking hazard is very real with these greenie things.  Tossed.  A bag of Natural Balance dog food which just recently had a recall, tossed.  A bag of Natural Balance cookies tossed, both because of the food recall and ingredients list.  A tiny package of Grandma Lucy "organic" cookies which when I opened the package smelled very much like regular human cookies.  After reading the ingredients they were tossed as well.  Sugar, cane juice and wheat flour were a few of the ingredients.  Often the whole 'organic' thing is used to make you think its healthy.  Just because something is organic does not make it healthy.  These were far from the healthy cookies that I make my guys.

There was a can of 'canidae' dog food, even though not recalled the dry Canidae was so it was tossed.  Liver treats stating 100% natural, tested in the USA but made in China, tossed.  A Natural Balance roll of dog food which was the big thing for training a few years ago, tossed.  Wheat flour and sugar are in the first three ingredients, SUGAR????  Tossed.

Two sample packs of supplements that were in the bag serve only as 'things to research.' You can't give your dog one pill or tsp of powder and expect to see something, so research.  A piece of unknown rawhide type thing called Barky Bark by Redbarn, made in Paraguay - tossed.

What did I keep and let the dogs have?  A freeze dried Stella and Chewy's patty, devoured.  A Mango Tango grooming wipe by Earthbath; I'll keep for those gross times.  Chewy treats made by KONG, I didn't even know that they made them.  It says they are made in the US so I'll give them a try.  That's it, that is all we kept.  I will check out the supplements but what a waste.  What about donating it?  I regularly donate food but I am not donating a product that I would not feed my own dogs.  I'll go out and buy something good to donate.

We had a good time socializing, always great when you have a youngster but as far as the goody bag goes?  A big disappointment.

Sundays from now on

I have decided not to blog on Sundays any longer.  Everyone is busy doing stuff with their family and me too.  I need a little break, so I hope you don't mind if I skip a day.  See you all Monday.  Have a great Sunday.

Sherri

Hitting the Mall

I am having a difficult time typing this morning; Elsa is being persistent in her head placement.  She likes to touch and wants her head on my arm.  Each time I move it she moves it back again.  I have never felt such a heavy dog; even though she is not even 50 lbs. she feels like a 200 pounder.  It is like she pushes down with all her might, funny little girl.

Yesterday I took the dogs to the mall, it is something I hadn't done since I was back.  In Connecticut I regularly took them into the heart of Greenwich.  It was a small downtown area but was always crowded with people and other dogs making it a great place for socializing Elsa.  Yesterday we went to an actual Mall, it was an outdoor mall but still a Mall.  Fashion Island Mall, in the heart of Newport Beach overlooking the ocean, pretty amazing.  We were meeting some poodle friends from our local poodle group.

We had planned on meeting at a grassy area outside the Mall and it was good that we did.  It gave Luke a chance to lift away before we entered into the Mall.  It was so cute watching Luke see his friends that he had not seen in so long.  There is such a difference when he meets friends, there is no mistaking the behavior.  It is a genuine greeting giving off a "dude, how the heck are you?" feeling.  We met a new member of the group, a three year old named Mac.  Elsa loved him and Luke welcomed him as he typically does into our group.

What a great place to take dogs.  I really want Elsa to be able to go anywhere and be comfortable everywhere we go so this was great.  There were people everywhere and with 6 standards parading down the mall we got  a lot of stares.  One really nice lady asked if she could take a picture with the dogs for her grandchildren, she was really cute.

Its all about manners, learning to behave in a big crowd with arms reaching out to touch from everywhere.  Seeing new things; they got to see a koi pond although neither Luke nor Elsa noticed them.  There was too many other things to look at.  Elsa greeted a small child who was dying to see her and was very sweet with the little one.  The whole time we wandered through the mall Elsa kept connecting with each of the other members, a nuzzle here and there, she loves connections.

There were lots of other dogs there too.  All friendly and another great socializing benefit. I will most definitely go again in a couple of weeks.  What a great time for everyone.  

Millers (again)

Two adorable rescued pups.

Two nights ago I was out getting frozen yogurt.  As my husband and I sat down to enjoy our frozen stuff,  a family came along with a puppy.  It was a weimaraner puppy and I knew immediately that it was too young to even be away from it's Mother let alone walking around on the ground in public.  "Six weeks, he is six weeks" the family proudly boasted.  Yikes.  Just as they finished telling us the age of the little guy a Mother came up and asked about the pup, her daughter would love one.    The family was more than happy to share the info.

They were a mere few feet away so of course I overheard the conversation.  The new puppy family had gotten him from a woman who lived out in the desert, she had lots of dogs and lots of different breeds.  The pup was much cheaper than most they'd looked at.  The woman who was interested in the puppy seemed thrilled with all of the information.  "This was like the blind leading the blind" I thought to myself as I sat listening.  Yes I was listening, the mere mention of the word dog and I'm all ears.  :)

So off went the family with the puppy and the family who were going to go get one of these.  Fueling the fire as they say.  These folks were giving their hard earned money to a miller.  What is a miller or puppy mill really?  It is some one or many people who make it a business to sell dogs.  They raised dogs for a living, living off the profits that they make from their wares.  Dogs.  This my friends is the problem with canine over population, that and careless people who let their dogs procreate at will.

Puppies, puppies everywhere.  Lots of puppies for sale, anytime, any color, any age.  Millers have it all for you and it sadly makes people happy.  No waiting, no being asked a million questions, just pay and get your puppy.  I have seen many mills in my life, on the net, tv, in person etc. etc.  Not all millers look the same.  There are millers who boast clean facilities, huge buildings containing all the dogs.  They have nurseries and kennels, rows and rows of kennels filled with breeding dogs and future breeding dogs.  Even these wonderfully clean and bragging facilities are millers.  YES THEY ARE.  They are pumping out dogs like a product.

Mill:  A factory for certain kinds of manufacture, as paper, steel or textiles.

Not dogs, dogs should not be milled.  No dog should ever live in a cage, and anyone who keeps a dog in a cage whether it is clean or not should be put in there with the dog to see how life in a cage feels.  I have gotten into battles with people who stand up for these people who have wonderful professional breeding facilities; why, because they are clean?  Because they feed their dogs?  Dogs do not belong in cages and when you have facilities like these, clean, filthy or appalling there are too many dogs coming out.  So many dogs; way too many dogs.

Good, reputable and ethical breeders have one maybe two litters a year.  Some only have a litter every two years.  They often only breed a female twice in her life.  They will ask prospective owners a million questions and make it seem like you are getting a priceless piece of work.  You are.  You are getting a living, breathing animal and they don't hand them over to just anyone.  This practice in itself saves lives.  You have to have gone through the whole grilling process with a breeder which makes asking yourself if you really want this dog imperative.  Acquiring a dog from reputable breeder is a lot of work and by the end of it all you know and the breeder knows that you are committed if you get one.

Big breeding facilities that house dogs in kennels need to be shut down.  They are by far the # 1 problem.  They supply the horrible shops that sell puppies and they treat dogs as money makers.  The worst of them cut corners whenever they can just to put more money in their pockets.  They do not stand behind their dogs health or future.  All they care about is the money in the moment.  What if you change your mind, what if the puppy doesn't work out or something happens in your life that you cannot keep that puppy? Too bad, they aren't going to take it back with open arms.

Don't get me wrong, there are small "bad" breeders out there too.  Just because you don't breed often does not make you a good breeder, there is a huge list to check off that makes you a good breeder.  What I'm focusing on here are the mass producers, the big guys.  Whether they are set up as a beautiful professional business or the worst appalling hell hole, they are all millers.  Most definitely there are the ones that make a regular human shudder, it is simply unbelievable how some people treat animals.  But the mass production has got to stop and the only way to stop it is to stop the demand.

There are so many adorable second hand dogs out there.  There are purebred rescues galore.  You can get the cutest puppies ever at a rescue, I photographed some the other day and could not believe how adorable they were.  I was smitten by every one of them.  These puppies were living in homes with loving, caring foster parents.

Dogs belong in a family from the get go.  That means that Mom lives in a home with her family so when she has puppies they too are welcomed into the home.  Not in a cage, not even a clean cage. (I'm not talking about crates here.) It is sad and tells you a lot about how a person feels about dogs if  they put a dogs in a cage to produce puppies for their financial benefit.  Is that someone you want to give your money to?  I say no, give your money to someone who loves dogs, I mean really really loves dogs.

The bottom line here is that it just has to stop.  If we cannot get the laws to change then it has to be done one person at a time.  Either rescue or purchase a puppy from a reputable breeder.  Hopefully someday all millers will be extinguished but until then you can do your part by spreading the word.  Patience is a virtue, and waiting for the perfect puppy is a good thing.  Instant gratification can be the undoing of us all.

A short time to get in all the lessons

Last night my husband pulled out a fleece shirt he hadn't worn in a very long time.  As he finished adjusting it he realized that there was quite a bit of white hair on it, Jessie hair.  We both did our awwww's and then my mind wandered.  I imagined her in the yard, thought of  the sound that the dog door made when only she went through it and remembered how I use to scoop her up from in between the big dogs.  Now just writing this has me stopping and thinking.  Thinking is a good thing and we don't give ourselves enough time to just stop and think.

Funny, I'd decided just a few days ago that I need more moments like that.  From last December until now things have been very hectic, a lot of changes, a great deal of work and just life in general.  It is so very important when you lose a dog to take the time to remember.  It was very difficult when we lost Jessie because we were literally on the road.  Tilley was a less hectic ordeal but it was still a time of turmoil.

I think about all my dogs who are now gone daily; heck I called Luke, Clyde the other day and it came out like it was the name that was suppose to.  I stopped and thought of Clyde for a moment, smiled and then called Luke.  As we go through our years bringing new dogs into share our life with us we are constantly growing, learning and experiencing.  Over the years a great bond is formed and then lost in the end.  But those lost dogs leave such a legacy.

The life lessons that our dogs teach us are so valuable, lasting and priceless.  For those lessens are the ones that you will take with you into your next canine relationship making it that much better.  It most definitely hurts losing a dog, often too much for some and they can never do it again.  But for those who continue to live with dogs through the hurt there is happiness and joy once again.  There are lots of  memories, so many wonderful memories to think back on.  Sometimes a memory will come to the forefront due to a trigger; others need some quiet time and come when you have the time.

I know many people who have lost dogs recently, it is a sad reality that our dogs spend such a short time with us.  But that time has such impact if we allow it.  There are those who have yet to discover the true heart of a dog but there are many more who have.  For those of us who know the true heart of a canine, each and every dog that takes up space in our heart leaves a paw print there.  With that paw print comes the life lessons shared between canine and human.  These lessons are the most valuable ones because without that shared life together you would never have them.

There are many things that both Jessie and Tilley taught Elsa in their short time together.  Just the other day I put a few ice cubes that had fallen on  the floor into the water bowl.  I left the room and came back about 5 minutes later to see Elsa taking all the ice cubes out.  I watched in amazement because this is what Tilley did with the kiddie pool.  I clearly remember Elsa watching Tilley intently one day and taking it all in.  I reached over and put them back into the bowl and Elsa took them out again.  I took that moment to remember Tilley.  Elsa was a very lucky girl to have known her even for the short time that she did.

So as Steve picked some of the hairs off of his shirt I smiled knowing that there are so many more.  Those little hairs are woven into all of us, but she left far more than white hairs here with us.  Jessie left us all, all who knew her, lessons that only she could teach us.  Like all the others who have come before her and will come in the future, they all have great volumes to teach us and they only have a short time to do it in.

Dog days of summer

"Sherri, he seems lethargic," I hear as soon as I enter the house.  "It's hot, really hot," is my reply.  I hear this a lot and what I usually tell folks is to enjoy it.  Down time, everyone loves a little break in the high energy of youngsters now and again.  It is officially the first day of summer, many of the kids are out already and the beaches will be filling up.  The traffic in the morning is already noticeably light, nice.  There are still a few schools full but in about a week they'll all be free for the summer.

We were up bright and early yesterday for a walk, and after a big rip and tear with one of Elsa's best friends yesterday (Hank), she was ready for an afternoon siesta.  At almost 12 Luke is always up for a nap but as the heat rose in the afternoon actions slowed.  I had the dogs out before the sun came out and it was nice and cool.  This becomes a necessity as the temps rise through the summer, no matter where you are.  Luckily here it typically cools nicely in the evening making a morning walk enjoyable but sometimes you have to get out really, really early to beat the heat.

Unfortunately with summer comes the pests, fleas, ticks, mosquitoes etc.  To avoid using the spot treatments that are so toxic my guys are in the bath about once every week and a half.  Soapy suds kill fleas, you can see it happen before you eyes.  You need to suds them up and leave it on for about 5-7 minutes.  The fleas try to escape but they drown, ahhhh too bad.  You need to vacuum a lot as well to make sure that they aren't taking up residence in your home.  As for ticks, stay away from them at this time of year.  There are many natural sprays to help deter mosquitoes as well.

When you do take your dog out in the summer make sure that you bring a bowl and water with you especially if you are doing anything active.  Cut activity down as the temperatures rise.  I often see people out in the middle of the day jogging with their dog in the sweltering heat, not good.  Dogs can overheat quickly and become gravely ill.  So even if you are up for a hot run, leave your dog at home and take them out when it gets cooler.  If you leave your dog outside during the heat of the day make sure that they can get to a good sized shady area.  Shade can give a tremendous break in the heat.  Be sure that your dog has fresh water and lots of it. 


NEVER, EVER leave your dog in the car when the temperatures start to rise.   Even 70 degree weather can get up over 100 in a car.  Dogs die needlessly every year from being left in cars.  It makes no sense and I cannot believe that people still do it.  If you see a dog in a car in the heat, immediately get help.  Go into the store and have it announced, call the police or animal control but get the dog out.  I've done this many times.  


When you do take your pooch out for a walk feel the ground.  Often the ground is so hot but we don't realize of course because we have shoes on.  Factor in that your dog is about much closer to the ground as well.  The heat rises from the ground when it's hot causing a dogs body temperature to rise easily.  Take your shoe off and stand on the surface.  Can you stand there for a full minute without saying "ouch."  Do the heat test always.  It's not fair to ask your dog to walk on something that you wouldn't want to walk on.  When you do walk try to avoid black top, the freshly paved stuff that gets so much hotter than the lighter colored stuff.


As far as color is concerned, factor that in too.  A black dog is going to feel the heat much more than a white dog.  Ever wore a black t-shirt to the beach and regret it big time?  I'm sure you have like many people.  There is a reason white is in for summer.  


Whatever you do this summer, take great care in the heat.  Enjoy it, and take the time to kick back and relax with a tall one along side your pooch in the shade.  Fill up that kiddie pool in the yard and slow down.  Summer is short, a time to relax and enjoy.  

Behavior

Behavior: Observable activity in a human or animal.  The aggregate of responses to internal and external stimuli.

I have been studying canine behavior for a very, very long time.  Even before consciously being aware that I wanted to deal with dog behavior I was reading it and learning.  Some people work with dogs all their lives but never take the time to truly understand canine behavior, it is truly fascinating.  Dogs and people are very, very different but we too have some pretty interesting behavior.  As a fallout to all of my dog watching, I have learned a great deal about human behavior as well.

When I work with dogs I am of course working with people too.  There are good and bad ways to approach both humans and dogs.  After hundreds of behavior modification consultations I am continually learning about dogs, you can never stop learning.  Each is an individual and just when you think you've got it figured out a dog will throw you a new behavior that you have never seen before.  With all of these meetings with dogs and humans I have learned how to approach different humans as well.


At a first meeting I can pretty much assess what is really going on, but that takes listening and watching.  Often an owner doesn't want to share all the info.  Perhaps they feel like they have failed their dog so they skirt some of the issues.  Maybe they feel overly confident that their dog has no issues at all.  This is where the watching comes in.  I try to stay as non present in the situation as I can.  I like to sit back and watch, you can learn a great deal this way.  An owner might be telling me one thing but their actions are telling me something all together different.  

There are times when I can deal with a behavior head on but with the owner hovering I have to take it slow.  After much listening and watching I can clearly see the problem with both the dog and the owner.  The dog is easy, the owner make take some finesse to work around.  I may need to give it to them straight, tell it like it is.  Other times I have to be tactful, perhaps giving many examples of similar behaviors.   Then again I might just do the "name that tune," routine where I give enough hints that the owner finally comes to the answer seemingly on their own.  This can give a much needed confidence boost to someone who needs it.

Dealing with dogs goes hand in hand with humans.  There is always a human in the picture somewhere. If you do not school yourself in dealing with the human factor of the dog then you won't get far.  Every dog is different, every person is different and if you have one and only one "I'm the expert" mode of communication then you aren't going to get a lot of people to listen to you.

Tact: a keen sense of what to say or do to avoid giving offense.  Skill in dealing with difficult or delicate situations.

I have been in situations where I had to tip toe around an issue to get the message across.  Other times I've had to come in with guns a blazing or hit someone over the head with a 2x4 to get them to get the drift. We are a vastly different bunch.  If you work with dogs you work with people.  Bedside manner is very important and the more versed you are in human behavior the easier working on the dog behavior becomes. Most canine problems are human related, being that dogs live in our human world and not a dog world.  Dogs are dogs; it is our lack of ability to figure out and deal with dog behavior that is the issue.   If you cannot communicate correctly to the human, you are never going to help the dog.

Chasers

There you are out for a nice walk with your dog when you spot a car, planting your feet firmly in the dirt you brace yourself for impact.  Sound familiar?  All too familiar for many people dealing with car chasers.  I see car chasing dogs often; just the other day while driving home from the park a man was struggling with his dog who was trying to chase a car.  The dog was obviously part border collie, I'm not saying that all car chasers are border collies but they definitely are up there in the most commonly seen breeds.

Any dog can become a car chaser and if you have lived or live with one now it sucks big time.  You cannot go for a nice walk down the street, you may feel humiliated by your dog and you most definitely can lose complete control of your dog.  So what are you to do if you have one or suspect that you might have one on your hands.  First and foremost nipping it in the bud is the best tactic.  Stop it before it starts.  If you have a high drive dog, get it out around cars, go for lots and lots of walks around them.  Create a "we don't care about cars" aura.

If you have a full fledged chaser who has a solid history of chasing then you need to step back, away from the road.  You need to go far enough away that you can have a clear headed dog who has not yet been triggered.  Switch it up; change what you typically do.  Work on some obedience, play tug games or have a little visit with another dog and their owner.  What you need to get is control, anytime your dog glances at the car mark it with an error word or sound.  My "wrong" sound is just a low and quick MM sound or AHHH.  Not long, short and intense with impact.  Treat  with whatever your dog considers a reward when your dog looks back at you instead of the traffic.

The big secret to conquering a chaser is to do it in baby steps.  If you get too close too fast you will fail.  You want to set your dog up for success, give them small rations that they can handle.   Working on your own behavior is another big part of stopping a chaser.  You have to remain calm.  So if that means getting a new collar or harness so that you have the confidence that your dog will not slip out then do it.  When you react to your dogs reaction to cars in an agitated state you actually fuel their behavior.  It can also cause redirected aggression which is when the dog becomes so frustrated that they turn around and bite the hand that holds the leash, or leg or whatever they can sink their teeth into.  Yanking and screaming can cause this.

You also must tell yourself that "you can do it."  Oh yes you can, you are the human and you can control the situation.  If you truly feel like you cannot and become too flustered then hire a professional to get you through the first steps.  But make sure that it is a positive trainer who will use positive association, not yanking and yelling.

Depending on how severe your dogs trigger is and how long they have been doing the behavior will factor in on how long it will take to stop.  It may be a long road but it can turn around.  Stopping a fully agitated dog partaking in a chase is nearly impossible.  But, if you know what to look for you can stop it before it happens.  When you are working to rid your dog of the chase response you must first get distance, get control of your own emotions, work on baby steps and never go too close or ask too much.  It is always better to have little tiny baby steps of success than huge failures back to back.

You can do this.

Lucky Dad

Good morning, first let me say a big Happy Father's Day to all you dog Dad's out there.  I hope that you spend a wonderful time with your family today.  Because it is Father's Day I thought that Luke and Elsa's Dad should do this mornings blog.

Lucky Dad:  written by Steve Regalbuto

Yes I am a Dad but I prefer to spell it backwards.  Important qualification.......I have never blogged before so don't expect much.

Happy Father's Day to all the guys out there.  Father's day has got me thinking about what a truly lucky guy I am.  I was very lucky to have been raised in the family that I was, I had the best parents and grand parents in the world.  Cheers to my Father and Grandfather, two incredible men who shaped my life.  Both are now gone so on days like this I really miss them a lot.

I've raised three beautiful children who have become wonderful individuals and I couldn't be more proud of.  Our family unit is really tight (or tizz-ight as I'm told it's pronounced).  On top of that I've got two amazing dogs Luke and Elsa.  It's hard to think that just a few months ago Jessie and Tilley were with us, I miss them a lot.  One of the hardest things about being a dog Dad is outliving them by such a huge margin.  Tilley and Jessie were a big part of my life but with their loss I've now adapted to being a two dog family.

Seeing that we are empty nesters now, the two hounds pretty much take center stage for everything and I'm okay with that.  I'm going to share a few of my favorite things about my dogs.

-  The way that Luke looks at me when I say "do you want to go..............................."  His head tilts and his big ears pop up and he has to touch my face with his letting me know that "here I am."

-  One on one time with Luke on my walk.  I take him off roading and once we've crossed the border of general populous I unleash him and we go on an adventure together.  We've spent the last 11 1/2  years exploring hills, creeks, fields and terrain.  We have an understanding...............it's a guy thing.  We both love finding critters and checking out new scenery.

-  I love the way that Luke hangs with me the rest of the day after one of our special hikes.  He doesn't say it but he expresses that sense of connection.  He walks around with that look on his face like "dude that was awesome."

-  I love the way that I get greeted when I come in, it might be either two dogs spinning, jumping, wagging and panting or it might be two sleepy heads prying themselves of the couch limping over all stretching and yawning.  No matter what though they are always happy to see me making even the roughest day so much better.

-  I'm really starting to connect with Elsa, she is now starting to acknowledge that I actually exist.  Between her obsession with Luke and her worship of Mommy she is starting to see it's kind of cool to hang with Dad sometimes.  Just starting to groom her into my new running partner and I bet that over the years that our bond will grow that much deeper.  

-  I also love when they are sleeping on the bed, there is something really calming about the dead weight of a snoring dog on your bed.  Some nights when I'm preoccupied, their sense of peaceful slumber eventually gets to me and puts me down.

Anyway I'll sign off now seeing that this is the first blog I've ever attempted to write, it's probably pretty fragmented.  I'm going to enjoy this day hanging with my beautiful wife, curly hounds, wonderful daughter Jamie and Brad and Nicole in my thoughts and heart.  I'm the luckiest Dad in the world, Happy Father's Day to all.

P.S.  Father's do not have to pick up dog s&%t on Father's day  :)  

Aggression caused by pain

Think twice about what you put on your dogs neck.  The area is one of the most sensitive parts of a dog.  

Yesterday I was reading an article on how pain most definitely can cause aggression in dogs.  Heck it can cause aggression in humans as well.  As I was reading the article it donned on me that it would be a great way to explain why pinch collars are a bad idea.  Pain = aggression.  Of course not always, it depends on the dog but with the act of association it can do a great deal of damage.  I am seeing more and more pinch collars out there these days, I don't know what is going on but instead of less there are indeed more.

What people do not realize about pinch collars is the fallout effect.  First let me say that a pinch is better than a choke in that it does not actually choke like a ........................choke collar.  I saw a guy with a choke collar on his dog who wanted to chase cars just yesterday on the way home.  The dog was struggling, the guy was struggling and the dog was literally being choked.  (Car chasing next blog)  So yes, choke collars actually do choke, don't use them.

Okay back to pinch collars, they too...................pinch.  Funny how the action of the collar very much resembles the name, hmmmmmm.  So when a dog receives a yank on a pinch collar a pinch of pain is delivered to the neck.  Now, depending on the dog wearing the pinch it may be just that, a pinch or it may be shooting pain.  Like people all dogs are built differently and have different pain thresholds.  But no matter how big and buff a dog is it still delivers pain, even at a low level.  When the pain is delivered enough times for the same reason an association is built.  ie. Walking by other dogs causes pain.

Not only does it create a negative association to whatever happens to be happening at the very instant of pain delivery but it can backfire too.  I have seen a backfire in action far too many times.  An owner walking their dog goes by another dog, the dog with the pinch is either yanked or delivers it's own pinch by hitting the end of the collar.  With the pinch having been delivered the dog is set to fight.  Many dogs will automatically bite at whatever is causing pain to it.  And if you happen to be on the end of the leash then chances are you are going to bit bitten, or at least mouthed.  When the dog tries to get away from the collar by going after the owner the leash tightens again and it gets worse.

The whole fight or flight thing comes into action.  Dogs can completely shut down when delivered a pinch from a collar again and again and again.  When this happens you may be left with a very unpredictable dog, a dangerous situation.  So many people I talk to say I did it to myself, it doesn't hurt.  Then TELL ME HOW IT WORKS?   How could it possibly work if it is doing nothing?  It couldn't, so don't fool yourself, there is pain involved and you are delivering it.

Looking for a forever home

I was smitten the moment I laid my eyes on this little guy.

Yesterday I had the honor of meeting five new dogs.  These dogs through no fault of their own are lacking a family.  Four of them were young dogs, puppies and each and everyone produced the awwww response in me.  These dogs are a few of the lucky ones though, they have foster families who are caring for them until they can find a permanent family to call their own. The group that these fosters work with are Friends of Orange County's Homeless pets.

I've written before about how much I respect and admire those who foster dogs.  After meeting the dogs yesterday I am once again inspired by the foster folks.  I don't how they do it but they do and they make a great number of people and dogs happy by bringing them together.  The people I met yesterday were all about the dogs, and seeing how happy and settled the pups were were after such a short time tells me that these are good places to be when waiting for your forever home.

The biggest difference for dogs who land in a foster home versus a shelter is learning.  The dog starts learning about living in a home and the foster parent gets a better read on what the dog is like living in a home.  The dogs that are lucky enough to be scooped and placed in foster truly benefit from the love and care afforded to them.

Below are some of the photos that I took.  If any of these tweak your heartstrings, please contact Friends of Orange County's Homeless pets and make one more homeless and much loved family member.

They don't come much cuter  (Kit)

He had the most adorable striped tail and looked very much like a Border Terrier.

Two tiny friends

I'd intruded on nap time, the fact that these two were so relaxed was wonderful. (Faith)

This guy was not at a foster home but at a daycare facility, he really needs a family. (Chance)

This guy was so handsome, he had the most amazing eyes and personality.

Look at those eyes (Tony)

What a sweet and timid guy.  He couldn't give enough kisses. (Clark)

Check out those ears, magnificent.

These are just a few waiting for their forever families.

Smarts, he's still got it.

This photo was taken before Elsa's big haircut (obviously.)

Last night we were sitting chatting in the living room.  Luke had crawled up into the chair with me for some snuggling when his ears went up.  He hopped off quickly and stood staring at Elsa who was chewing a toy.  Luke had his goof face on, he was feeling frisky in the cooler evening air with his new haircut.  She looked at him and as he continued to stare she grew uncomfortable.  She got up and put the toy in his face with submissive ears and body posture. He on the other hand had everything up, very dominant yet playful.  She knew then that he wanted the toy and they tussled around a bit for it.  He ended up getting it much to her dismay.

She sat staring at him now that he had possession of the toy.  Elsa pawed at his head until he could take no more; he got up and left, leaving the toy free for the taking.  When she grabbed it again and pranced around with pride he got a look in his eye.  He let out a small and almost inaudible bark which made Elsa stop chewing.  I knew right away what he was up to, he has a history of this behavior.  He ran to the door and barked a very loud "intruder" bark.  She ran to him to see what was up and as she came to him he skirted around her and ran to get the toy, smart boy. He use to do this with Tilley and Jessie all the time.  Once the newbie and youngest in the pack he found it hard to get anything away from the top dog girls.  So he taught himself a useful lesson, bark and they will come.  When they come they leave their toy open for snatching away.

With the prize in his grasp he lay down very proud of himself; that is until Elsa decided to take it back again.  They played a while and she finally got it back.  Luke was in a very playful mood last night; he seems to be completely recovered from his injury and ready to go.  (He tweaked himself a couple of weeks ago).  As he watched her chew the toy yet again I could see the wheels turning in that little head of his.  He ran down into the family room and let out another huge bark and then ran back up to the living room to see if it had worked.  It hadn't; she'd only looked up from her toy this time.  He stood pondering.

He opted for another trick, he went to the toy basket and pulled out a bone.  He lay down with it pretending that it was amazingly fun to play with.  Elsa of course had to go see what he had and as soon as she did he was up and had the prize toy back again.  She stood dumbfounded, he'd done it again.  She didn't know about these tricks of the trade, she had yet to learn them.  But as Luke sat enjoying his prize I realized that this was a lesson for Elsa, she was learning from Luke.

Luke is one of the smartest dogs that I have ever met.  He is very complex yet simple.  He like Elsa never misses a thing and because of this intense watch and notice trait, he has learned a great deal over the years.  Elsa is very much like Luke as far as watching and learning.  So much so that you can see her watching and learning on a daily basis.    Some dogs like people go through life not noticing much of anything and then there are the ones who notice it all, take it in and learn.  Those watchers are the most fun to watch.  

On leash

On leash greetings can be a nightmare for some people.  Oddly enough even the most friendly of dogs can have bad initial greetings.  Yesterday I had Luke out on his own, I am focusing on alone time and getting Elsa use to being left by herself at home.  So while Luke and I were at the park I saw a woman coming our way with her two Cavaliers, cute dogs.  I have yet to meet a Cavalier who was not friendly.  But looking down at Luke I could see that he was already mustering up for a big bluster.  I called him to me as we walked past but he snuck one in anyway.  Nothing serious just a blustery type growl and continued to walk by.  At that moment I thought "no, that's not going to do it for me."

I turned around and asked the woman if her dogs were indeed friendly.  I told her that Luke was very friendly, he just liked to do this every now and then.  She was apprehensive when I asked if he could say hi again, of course she was.  Many people have no idea what their dog is actually like and will regularly say "oh yes he's friendly," when they truly are not.  So she wasn't completely sold on my "friendly" dog being that he'd just given a pretty good, not friendly impression.  So I loosened the leash and let Luke sniff them.  They were as most Cavaliers are, neutral.  With a nicer greeting under his belt we continued our walk after I thanked the woman.

Luke is one of the most social dogs that I know.  He loves meet and greets, he is not gushy about out it; he likes to give a friendly hello and he's onto the next dog and owner.  Let's face it, our lives with dogs revolve around on leash activities.  There are not very many places where they interact off leash except in specifically designated areas.  Or if you are lucky enough to be able to have play dates in your yard, that is great.  Interacting with other dogs is an ongoing thing, so the more you meet the better.

I am very specific about who I actually greet, I'm not always correct but when in doubt, we don't.  With Elsa being young I am trying to avoid any negative greeting.  It happens in life but the more positive greetings she has the less impact a negative one will have on her.  Dogs can become very aggressive on leash if they have enough negative greeting responses from other dogs.  So if you are in doubt at all about a dog, walk past, keep going onto the next.

Greeting steps

-Read the other dogs body language as you approach.
-Do not tighten your leash, you can rein it in but make sure that you do it so it is unnoticed by your dog.
-Keep your leash slack.
-Remain calm, your dogs can sense your emotions and the leash can be an emotion sensor.
-Ask well in advance if the dog is friendly.
-Even when told that the other dog is friendly, be cautious.  I don't know how many times have lunged out at us after being told that they are friendly.
-Keep your distance and try to approach on an angle.
-Stay away from people with extension leashes.  Most people have no control over them.
-Do NOT allow the dogs to pass each other making it likely for a tangle situation.  A nice greeting can turn very bad if they get tangled.
-Do not greet all dogs, teach your dog how to walk by quietly.  They need to learn that not all dogs should be greeted and that the decision to do so or not is yours, not theirs to make.
-Use lots of treats when you are working on walk by's.  You want to create a positive association to other dogs.  Pulling a dog in tight and yanking away while yelling will create a negative association to other dogs.

I am working on walk by's with Elsa a lot now.  As a running partner for my husband she will need to be able run by without batting an eye.  With enough rewards for simply walking past another dog without having a fit or bouncing around I have created a positive association.  As soon as we are past she is looking for her treat for being a good girl.  Greetings don't have to be scary, you need to take the control of the situation; know your dog and read the other.  If you have even the smallest of doubt, give the other person and dog some space and do a walk by.

Nutrition and convenience

When I see people load up a big bag of the lowest possible grade dog food opting for quantity instead of quality it makes me wonder what they themselves eat.  In the old days dogs use to eat what the people ate, albeit in leftover form.  If you had a dog then you prepared your meals thinking about the dog as well as the humans.  Just like today there were people who fed strictly scraps and garbage to their dogs and there were owners who gave their dog a full portion of what they ate.  Then came the days of the 'quick' everything.  Carnation instant breakfast, frozen dinners, cake mixes etc. etc.  With the surge of convenient foods being in the late 40s and early 50s, so too did the lack of nutrients filled diets.

Dog food was actually introduced in the mid 1800s but like anything else it took sometime to catch on.  Once it started to grow in popularity they pushed the 'convenience' message for a rise in sales.  Everything about eating became quick and easy.  Of course there were some people who never ventured into the prepared dog food area and continued to feed their dogs just real food.  Like anything as the popularity grew in dog food, other companies jumped on the bandwagon and the competition was on.

Most of us have never known another way of feeding dogs, to us dogs ate dog food.  It came either out of a bag, can or cellophane wrapper.  We fed our toy poodle Kennel-ration burger.   I clearly remember pulling the little string that opened up the package in the middle so that you could conveniently feed only half a burger if you chose to do so.  With a tiny toy poodle we fed him 1/2 burger a day.  Was there any nutrition in those things at all?  They no longer exist on the shelves today but there must have been enough of something in it to keep our dogs alive.

A great article on  -  The history of dog food

Then our dogs started getting sick, much of the cause was unknown until some toxic chemicals were found to be in dog food.  Then people started to wonder what really was in dog food.  But the dog food industry continued to grow until it seemed that there was no other way to feed a dog.  The big companies got the animal medical health folks on board so veterinarians were pushing dog food as well.  They were also telling us not to feed our dogs "people food" NEVER, EVER.  People food is such a horrible term, do we really feel like we have all the rights on the real food, it's ours to do with what we like?

We have taken our dogs ability to hunt for themselves away, so now it is up to us to dole out the food.  What would dogs eat if they were left to their own?  Rabbits, birds, deer, raccoon, ground hogs, squirrels, nibble on some grass and fruit now and then.  They would eat a great deal of meat if they could catch it.  There would be nothing coming out of a bag.  They would be eating real food, as real as it gets.  So why then do we proudly state "we never feed people food?"   When people say this to me I just simply say "really?"  Depending on the situation I might elaborate.

I know a great percentage of dog owners these days cannot imagine feeding any other way than pouring out of a bag.  It is after all what we grew up with.  Many cannot fathom taking time to prepare a meal for their dog.  That alone is boggling to many.  "After you make your dinner you make your dog's dinner?"  I've been asked this many times.  And my answer is yes.  That and the idea of feeding RAW meat, uncooked, bloody and everything?  They love it, some dogs can take a while to get use to the texture but once they do, stand back.  I remember when I was a child also hearing that if you gave a dog raw meat they were turn mean and attack.  It would get into their head and they would see blood, just imagine?

I like to fuel my own body with as much nutrition as I can.  That means that I eat a lot of real food.  Being a normal human being I also like the not so great food, donuts, chips, cake etc.  When I feed my dogs I like to give them the best nutrition I can as well.  Like me they also get things that are not optimum in nutrition in the form of treats or even dog food.  I feed raw meat, cooked meat and dog food.  I buy the best dog food that I can and use it for the times when I need convenience.  I make meatloaf filled with different meats, veggies and ground eggshells.  Luke is on a meatloaf kick right now and when he eats, we feed.  Elsa will eat anything and is just catching on to this raw stuff, it has taken her a while.  

I do not always feed out of a bowl, which is another "this is how you do it," thing that we've grown up with.  I want to give my dogs the best food that I can, it is important to me.  Feeding dog food simply because it say's Dog food on the bag is not enough.  You need to do your research and if dog food is the way you want to go then at least feed the best dog food that you can.  But the whole "people food," thing.  No, it's not just ours.

Why blog?

As I sit here looking out over my neighborhood, listening to the sounds of my two dogs sleeping and watching their feet and faces twitch while they dream I am stumped.  It happens every so often that I have no inspiration for a topic.  I've been blogging for many years now and sometimes I just have nothing.  It doesn't take much to get me writing, a chance meeting at a park, attending an event or just a bath day.  Dogs offer us so much behavior that there is usually something to write about.  But this morning no behaviors came to me to be explained.

I like to blog first thing in the morning.  It is a quiet time before the day has started.  Sitting in bed enjoying my dogs is a great time to write, usually.  So this morning with no pending behaviors to pick apart I thought that I might explain why I blog to you all.  First let me thank you all for reading, knowing that even one person is helped by reading my blog is very rewarding.  I love feedback about my blogs and blog ideas that come in now and then.  Sometimes an idea is just what I need to get going.

The biggest reason that I blog is that I have a lot to say.  What I mean is that I like to share, I believe that everyone should share their experience and knowledge.  That being said not everyone wants to hear what I have to say so blogging is a great selective way to share.  If people don't want to hear what I have to say, they can simply not read my blog.  A blog is very personal, it is my opinion sometimes sprinkled with the opinions of others that I have dissected.  When you put your opinion out in public you can expect to be criticized.  Through all the years of my blogging I have only had two people be disrespectful of me and my blog.

I have been involved with dogs since the age of 13 and I just turned 50 last month.  So let's just say a very long time, k?  It all started in the conformation ring but quickly moved to behavior.  When I was young there was only conventional dog training so I have experience in that.  I look back and shudder at some of the things I was told to do and did from my very harsh teacher.  But because of this I know why I don't use that anymore and have the experience to back it up.  I have been a dog walker, groomed dogs for years and years, taught group obedience class then moved to strictly private in home training.  After many years of being a dog trainer I became a dog photographer which was made very easy because of my dog experience.  Having such a background allows me an insight that helps to get the shot and keep everyone happy through a shoot.

My family recently went through the loss of two of senior dogs, I blogged about it and hopefully it can help others. Having cared for two very senior dogs and everything that is involved I can definitely relate and assist others going through the same thing.  Before the loss of our oldest two we added a puppy to the pack, this too I shared about.  I have blogged about much of our life together and hopefully it has helped other going through many of the same things with raising a puppy.

I have over the years shared a little bit more of myself, my personal life so that you know better the person behind the blogs.  Who Sherri really is sort of.  My passion in life is dogs, it always has been.  I love everything about dogs and sharing my life with them.  From this quiet time now while I blog to seeing them run in a open field, bath time, feeding time, teaching, grooming........I love it all.  I am on a never ending quest for more canine knowledge, I do extensive research on nutrition, anatomy, health, behavior, new medical news etc. etc.

I enjoy hearing and seeing about all of your dogs and love when I can help in any small way possible.  Life is a never ending experience; so while I go through mine and learn along the way I like to share what I have learned.  When I am dealt with something bad I share that too in hopes that it will perhaps give at least one of you a heads up.  I really smile when I write a blog about a particular behavior and receive feedback that it has completely explained an issue that a reader was having with their own dog.

So there you have it, I blog because I want to explain "this is why, this is how, I did this, this is what happened to us, there's a cool new place, a great dog beach/park" etc. etc. etc.  If it concerns dogs, I'm all over it and will share whatever it is with you.  With two furballs curled up on my bed this morning, it is time to garden.  Today is my day off the gym so it's into the shower for Luke and then a much needed haircut.  Afterwards Elsa will be off for a rip and training session with Mom.  Have a great day.

Substance

I want to discuss substance today; it has been a looming topic for me for a while.  I am mad and need to vent.  What am I mad about?  Dogs and their lack of substance.  I am talking about purebred dogs; and the fact that many of those who intentionally breed dogs and exhibit them are ruining them.  Let's just take Luke for example; yes Luke is the base reason why I am mad.  Luke was a show prospect, he could have ended up in the conformation ring spending months or maybe years of his life being on exhibit.  Okay, so he was and is a beauty to behold but if you happen to really get a hold on him the smoke and mirrors are replaced with reality. The reality that he has very little bone and muscle mass.

Yes he has over the years lost muscle mass, it happens to the best of us as we age.  But when you do not start out with a great deal you are in trouble when the loss starts.  Having been around purebred dogs now for over  37 years I've seen and had my hands on a lot of them.  Dog breeds that were big, buff and meaty way back when are not so much now.  What I am seeing in so many breeds is that people are going for image, that wow factor.  Strikingly long necks, legs and reach.  Big hair, more of it, flashy movement, a firecracker in the ring and that floating on air gate.  That gate that is taking much of the substance away.

Tilley was an amazingly muscled dog; she was built to perfection.  Her movement was easy and she made unbelievably athletic feats look like a walk in the park.  She was squarely built, her legs and neck were much shorter than the dogs that you see in the show ring today.   But she could work, she never tired and when you grabbed her leg it had substance.  She was extremely well muscled; so much so that after a good long run her legs would get pumped up like a body builder.  As beautiful as she was, she was one buff girl.

When I talk about substance I mean the beef, where the heck has all the beef gone in our dogs?  I am not speaking about one breed, I am talking about them all.   As the article below says, they may be structurally correct but have a huge muscle and bone deficit.

Substance:  the actual matter of a thing, as opposed to the appearance or shadow; reality.

Grabbing hold of Luke's ankle area and comparing it to Elsa's makes me shudder.  His bones are fine and the muscle that should be there to support them, lacking.  Whereas Elsa's are good sized, more solid with lots of beefy muscle around them.  This comparison is something I use to do with Tilley and Luke, especially on bath day.  I see a lot of dogs today that have got the bod, they look good from far but are far from good.  Lacking in bone and muscle will be a price they pay as they age.

Dogs who are lightly boned and muscled cannot work like a beefier type can.  Dogs do not have to be cumbersome if they have substance.  When they have nice muscle they can move much easier and do not get injured like the lighter substance versions.  Beauty versus brawn?  I say that they can have both and deserve both.  She I run my hands down a dog I want to feel a well muscled back so that bones are protruding too far.   When I grab a leg I want to feel that there is a good sized bone in there, not something that makes me cringe with fear of breaking.

Let's be honest, humans created all the breeds.  They designed them to their desires.  Now humans are tweaking them, fine tuning what once was.  Get out a history book and look at the original versions of your breed and see the difference, it is pretty huge in most.  I will say that there are breeders out there who feel strongly that dogs should be able to work, play and have fun without breaking.  These breeders are keeping the dogs well boned and muscled.

Dogs are literally in our hands aren't they?  Is it fair to be designing them to a shell of beauty where they suffer for our desire?  NO.  They need good bones, good muscle and of course health and a good temperament.  When I see or feel the leg of a dog lacking in muscle it makes me sad.  Legs of a young dog should be full and beefy, no something resembling a chicken wing hanging from their body.  As you can tell I am passionate about this.  Our dogs deserve the best from us and if part of that is creating them then we best be doing our best there as well.

While I was doing some research on muscle loss I found this good article on the subject.

Rottweiller, bones, muscle and power

Children and dogs

This video was passed by me via Facebook, (dog attack video) it should have never happened.   Yet these type of things happen often due to lack of supervision.  It makes me so mad that people allow this to happen.  The owner in this video even brought his dog to the vet to be euthanized before this happened.  He already knew that his dog was not good with his grandchild.  He cannot blame the vet for it, he did not supervise his dog and grandchild's interactions.  This never had to happen, it could have been completely avoided.

"Sherri, our dog has growled at the baby," is what the person on the phone is saying.  People who allow their dog full access to the baby, everything seems fine until the baby starts to move and everything changes.  I have got a lot of these exact calls.  When I go to the home to discuss the issue with the owners they are often dismayed by their dog's behavior.  Sometimes they have been coaxed to call by another family member.  I had just such a call a couple of years ago.  The Mother in law was extremely worried for her grandchild, the parents not so much.

When I got to the home I sat and chatted and watched.  Watching the typical interactions is a great way to know what is going on.  In an instant I stood up and asked them to pick up their baby.  Their very large Akita mix dog was growling as the baby crawled closer and closer to him. The parents watched and did not seem alarmed, that is when I started my warning seeing that no 'danger signs' were going off for them.  "Your child is going to get bit," was the first thing I said.  "Your dog is most definitely going to bite the baby."  They looked at me like "what?"  So I picked apart what was going on and more than likely going to happen.

When babies are little and new they cause no concern to a dog typically.  They don't move around, they are no threat except that they take some of our attention.  Once on the ground and mobile, everything changes.  Of course there are lots of dogs that are fine with crawling babies and never see them as a threat.  But this blog is still for all dog owners, I don't care how friendly and wonderful your dog is.  Once a baby starts to crawl it can be considered a pack member and if you (the owner) do not rule the pack, then your dog will.  Your job is to protect your child and to protect your dog.  If you do not, then your dog takes over the job.

I've sat at many first time meetings with dogs and children and shuddered as a parent.  I am an extremely protective parent and it boggles my mind to see how some people see no danger.  I believe it is the "my dog would never" attitude.  Which is indeed a very dangerous attitude to have.  Any dog will, all dogs have a breaking point. But the fact is that dogs and children should never be alone, NEVER.  I remember a vet tech telling me years ago that she didn't buy the whole supervision thing.  "If she couldn't trust her dogs alone with  her baby then she wouldn't have them," is what she told me.   Sadly this is not a good attitude.  Of course is great to know that your dogs love your baby or child.  But even still you should never leave the two alone.

Things happen, children and/or babies can do some weird things.  They pull ears, bite, crawl on top of and any number of other things.  If you don't see what happened then you have no idea, you are blind as far as the situation at hand.  One client told me that she continually told her three year old son that their dog was going to bite him as he manhandled her.  She then told me that the same dog and three year old spend a great deal of time in his room with the door closed.  AHHHHHHHHHH  Before leaving homes visits like this I have made many people cry, yep.  I bring reality to them so that things like the video don't happen.  A wake up call so to speak.

It is can be a very dangerous situation, lack of supervision and there is simply no need for it.  Had the man in the video supervised his grandchild and dog appropriately this would have never happened.  Dogs often need a great deal of time getting used to a crawling baby. It is our job to make it clear that this is not someone that they can boss around.  Only we as parents/grandparents can do that.  Babies need to have a great start with a dog, that means making things when they are together positive.  Spending time with the dog and baby in a safe manner.  Both dog and baby need to learn how to interact with one another.  You cannot just leave it up to them to figure it all out.

By not offering appropriate supervision with dog/baby interactions you give your dog permission to deal with it.  Your lack of supervision lets your dog know that they need to punish and teach the baby on their own terms, not good.  You are the parent, it is your job, not your dogs.

NEVER , EVER LEAVE A DOG ALONE WITH A BABY OR CHILD.  It is just not worth the risk.