"The Truth About Life With Dogs" Pawtropolis Chat

Dominance vs Leadership

2011-09-24T11:23:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd share with you this recent email sent to my staff:

Hey everyone,

In my new found quest at being more opened minded to the people who I used to call "crazy positive only people" I came across this article (shared by Sara Beth). The truth is, what we try to teach here in our training classes is leadership not dominance (you'll see the distinction made in the article). Though in our classes we do use discipline we are really teaching owners things they can use throughout the day (working for food, waiting at doorways, walking beside you, etc.) that help them establish leadership not dominance.

In this article you'll hear her give examples of the crazy negative things she had trainers tell her (hold the choke chain tight till they pass out, omg!) That's dominance, that's someone that has taken the use of discipline way too far. You'll agree that some of the things she mentions we would never tell a client to do or do to a pet ourselves. Yes, I've been weaning off the choke chain (really haven't used one in quite some time). It's nice having my couple of private clients to be my "experiment" as well as my foster dog (I don't use them for my dogs, even Hester). Does this mean that I don't discipline? Absolutely not. However, I think what I do is leadership and not the dominance as she describes. Would I have a dog lay down when in trouble? Yes, when I think it appropriate, but not as often as I see some people and for the reasons they do it. We had a fight recently even in our very well-balanced home. Kenzie jumped Bailey. Our best guess (because we saw this happen once before) is that Bailey corrected Jazzi for being in her face. At that, Kenzie jumped in at Bailey. It's tough to see something like that. At that moment I separated them and in an effort to calm myself, Kenzie and Bailey, I got Kenzie and Bailey to the ground (on their sides), we all stayed that way for a little bit. Then I carried Kenzie, without saying a word, to the other room and put her in a crate.

This situation breaks my heart. Bailey and Kenzie have been friends for years, however Kenzie reacted on a very primal level (doesn't matter if they are "friends). So to see Kenzie taking advantage of Bailey's aging (that's what I'm thinking is one aspect) it's hard to understand. I love Kenzie but at the same time I was so hurt and disappointed that she could do that to another dog that I love. What Kenzie did was dominance, plain and simple and I believe, like she says in the article, dominance plays a major role in dogs' relationships with each other. However, my response to the situation was leadership. In the past I've had the mentality of "I HAVE to win this fight!!" anytime a dog disobeyed, especially showing aggression towards me. Where has that gotten me? It's gotten me a handful of scars. Did winning those situations miraculously fix the dogs? No. I came out on the worse end. Hester has taught me a lot about dealing with an aggressive dog. I've learned alternative ways to establish "leadership" and make sure she knows she can't get away with anything negative towards me. It works. Will Hester still bite me if pushed...absolutely. However, I've really won. I've figured out a way to get an "aggressive" dog to comply to my commands, to not growl when she normally would and let me take her toys and treats away. No matter how I achieved it, she respects me and obliges when I ask her to do something. That's success.

Anyway, I am hoping that you guys can begin to think about this a bit more, maybe even modifying how you approach training certain dogs. If I, the enforcer of discipline, can learn to adjust my methods then I believe anyone can : ) I'm very glad many of you will be taking my staff class. This will give you a peek into my new thoughts on training the behaviors you want. If you have questions or comments about this article or my email please "reply all" if you feel others could benefit from it. It's a great way to get the conversation started.

http://www.veterinarybehaviorclinic.com/downloads/DominanceFinal.pdf

Thanks,

Amanda

The Lucky Seven

2011-08-29T13:37:00.000-07:00

I didn't intend to leave animal control with 7 new fosters, but on this particular day something just wouldn't let me leave them.

We stopped by to visit a dog we had seen on the website. When we got there that dog wasn't available for viewing. We decided to walk around and see who else was there. As we walked around we wrote down the pen numbers of dogs that we were interested in. We took the numbers back to the animal control officer to get more details.

Normally when we do this we find that some of them have applications, some have rescues coming to get them and others have a little bit more time. On this day every single dog we asked about was scheduled to be killed in the morning. It was 30 minutes till closing time. These dogs were going to die.

I'm sure you know that tons of dogs get killed at animal control every year. What you might not know is that sweet, loving, cute, adorable, submissive, "highly adoptable" dogs being killed all the time. Every dog we asked about we knew would make great pets. They didn't have behavior problems. They didn't have medical issues. They didn't have emotional baggage that would make a transition into a new family lots of work.

Three stubby legged, scruffy terrier brothers played in their pen together as if nothing was wrong. They wrestled and wrestled and was actually a bit reluctant to come out of their pen to me. They didn't know they should want to come to me. How would they? We named these boys Skully, Rugby and Xander.

Another was a young blond small girl dog. She looked like a puppy but she was actually full grown. She looked at us and give the most heart wrenching howl. It wasn't loud or obnoxious, or was like a plea for help. Then we find out the reason for her howl. She had come in with a puppy. They were immediately separated. The puppy had been adopted and the mom was left to die. When we got her out to meet her she was the calmest sweetest little dog ever. She was very scared and just wanted us to love her. She would have crawled right into our pockets if she could have. We named her Piper.

A miniature Labrador? One puppy looked just like an adult lab but only in miniature. She was so tiny. She wasn't much of a puppy. Since she is already about 9-10 months old she doesn't have much growing to do. She gave us a submissive wiggle through the glass window. When I went in to get her she too was scared to leave. That breaks your heart. I wish they could understand English as I tell them it's their lucky day. This one we named Jade.

Through one window was a little border collie mix puppy. People always are looking for dogs like her to adopt. Not this time I guess. She was curious and happy when we brought her out. She's a sweet little thing that we now call Paisley.

Last was an owner surrender. They owned her for 3 months before turning into animal control. She was there 5 days passed her kill date. She looked just like a doberman/whippet mix, too adorable. Looked like a little skeleton. She was bouncy and bongy. She's an athletic little girl. We named her Jazzi.

Why are dogs like these being killed? It just isn't fair. I know I can't change everything but I was determined to save the lives of the 7 dogs on our list that day.

2011-06-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Pawtropolis's 10 year anniversary is coming up December 1st. We are going to have a huge countdown; specials every month, prize drawings and end with a big celebration dinner. We also have the goal to raise $10,000 for Helping Paws Rescue. We know this is crazy but we just had to try. Thanks

Making a smart decision when getting your new pet...and my thoughts on the "doodle craze".

2011-03-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone, we had a situation come up recently with an employee looking to get a dog that made me realize that many people do not truly understand my thoughts on breeding. Some people think I am 100% against it, some people think I'm not as long as they are purebred. Because of this staff member as well as several other incidences lately I wanted to take a minute to explain my thoughts on breeding and give you recommendations if you are in search for another dog.

Who should be breeding? I do like how certain breeds were bred for certain jobs. It amazes me to watch a border collie herding sheep or a bloodhound doing scent work or a husky pulling a sled. When they do these activities you can tell how much they enjoy it, they are born with a certain set of skills that if honed can lead to amazing working dogs. Dog breeding is a huge genetic experiment really. You can see how in a short period of time breeds can morph into other breeds and other sizes. The fact that humans have bred many breeds specifically for the purpose of serving the human race, I'm fine with, because ultimately it solidifies this strong relationship that humans and dogs have.

There is a very specific standard for each breed. AKC is very strict about it. They are strict not only about the looks, but also the build (can they do what they were bred for), and the health of the dogs. They want to see only the healthiest and finest "specimens" of the breed continue their genetic line. You may know that I've had 3 Dalmatians and absolutely adore the breed. However even I am not even close to being knowledgeable enough to even think of breeding Dalmatians. It takes years and years of research, following different breed lines, confirmation showing, etc. It takes someone truly dedicated to the endeavor.

People aren't knowledgeable about the breeds and/or don't know whether their dogs meet the breed standards. So now you have someone with a purebred dog. The first problem that I see is that many people assume that because their dog is purebred it meets the requirements necessary to breed. Maybe they want a "daughter" because their dog is so great. Maybe they have friends who say they want a puppy. Whatever the reason, they want to breed their purebred dog. Mrs. Akin shared this Spay/Neuter Chart with me. I thought it was brilliant. It puts into a graph what I try to verbally explain to people. Take a look. It makes for a great reference. Susan Tinch brought up the added box to put at the end which would read, "Are you willing to take back every puppy produced no matter how old?"

One of the recent incidences that has brought about this document has to do with someone buying a Dalmatian puppy. It came from someone that meets the very description of a backyard breeder. Each of their Dalmatians has one blue eye. Blue eyes are a major fault in Dalmatians. There is a very strong link between blue eyes and deafness in Dalmatians. Also, they had "patches" that are also major faults. Not only did they not confirm appearance wise to breed standard but they were passing on genes that specifically lead to deafness. I feel very confident that there will be deaf puppies in their lines. It's not all about looks. Reputable breeders do lots of testing and screening to rule out any problems that are common in that particular breed. If a dog doesn't pass, they immediately get the dog altered.

If you go by this chart it is very easy to see who should be breeding their dogs and who shouldn't be. There is only a small percentage of the population that can say "yes" to all the questions. If you can show me that, then you'll have my support to breed. (I still may not throw you a party but I won't think you're being irresponsible.) People think that the reason there are so many unwanted dogs is because of stray dogs or large scale puppy mills. The truth is I feel the main reason we have this problem is from backyard breeders. A backyard breeder is someone that breeds simply because they have a purebred dog and not for the reasons the chart suggests.

Where do people get their dogs from and what could be wrong with it? Here are some examples of some of the ways people obtain their purebred dogs. I will put the issues with each along side.

1. A newspaper/online/flyer ad: You can go ahead and guess that these breeders are either large scale breeding operations or backyard breeders. Reputable breeders (that breed because of the chart) generally have a waiting list for their puppies. They have extensive applications and would never think of putting an ad in a paper. You look for them, they don't seek the buyer.

2. Pet Store: Here's a tough one. I know many people who have bought from a pet store. They go in and see these pitiful puppy faces in the tiniest of cages, perhaps the puppies been there months and now the store is marking the puppy down like a used car. The person can't take looking at it and buys the puppy so they can save them from that situation. I know exactly how this feels and is the very reason I cannot step foot into a store that sells dogs/cats. These puppies came from breeders who could care less where their puppies go. They don't care if a horrible person buys them and tortures them, they don't care if someone buys them and chains them in the backyard. They don't care if the person puts them in a small cage and breeds them over and over just to make money. If a breeder does not care what happens to their puppies that is the #1 sign that you should run the other way. If you purchase this puppy, yes you are changing this puppy's life, but you are telling the pet store and the breeder that, yes, they should keep doing it because "look people are buying them." You saved the puppy but you condemned it's mom to more years of breeding.

3. Friend, family member, acquaintance: Okay, so you know these people. They are loving people, their pets are spoiled rotten. Yes, they decided to breed their dog but it's just one litter and they have homes lined up already. No problem with that right? Unfortunately...yes. Who knows what will happen to the puppies. What if not all the puppy families get their dogs spayed or neutered. If not neutered then what if that dog goes and accidentally impregnates another neighborhood dog. She has puppies and her puppies have puppies, etc. What if the girl puppy doesn't get spayed and, oops, the neighbor dog got in. She has puppies and then those puppies have puppies. When you look at the fact that one unspayed female could be the cause of 343 more dogs within a year and a half it's easy to start seeing the negative effect every decision can make on the number of dogs killed every year in shelters.

You want a dog, what do you do? How do you do it right? Okay so you've decided to get a dog. First you need to decide if you want a purebred dog or a mixed breed. If you want a purebred ask yourself why. Is it because the dogs are cool looking? Perhaps your family has always had that breed? Maybe someone has allergies and you need a specific kind of coat? Maybe like me you like to do competitive obedience with AKC and know if your rescued purebred is spayed/neutered they will allow you to apply for a number and compete. However, now they allow mixed breeds which is great. They have a program called AKC Canine Partners that helps you register your wonderful lovable mutt. Take a look here: http://www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/.

Maybe after these questions you say, yes, I still want a purebred dog.

-You CAN rescue purebred dogs. My Dalmatian and last Dalmatian, Chihuahua and Standard Poodle are rescues. No, you cannot get immediate gratification of getting a pup when you want it. It takes patience, constant searching of rescue sites, getting your name out to purebred rescue groups, etc. But the reward is great. Not only are you helping a dog find a home but you can also use your dog to educate others about rescuing.

-You buy from a breeder. Let us help. Of the people who breed their dogs only about 5% (I'm guessing) are reputable breeders. You have to be armed with as much information as you can obtain, do your research, know what you're looking for, know what to ask, etc. If you don't know we can help. Ask them the questions listed on this chart about the parents. Buying from a breeder can be done responsibly.

Puggle, Doodle, Cockapoo, Matipoo, Yorkipoo, shihpoo.....all just a bunch of poo.

I can't begin to describe the sadness I have at the ever increasing popularity of doodles. I'll use doodles as an example but this is for any mutt that they are passing off as a "designer breed."

Problems....

1. These breeders CANNOT say that their dogs match the criteria of the chart.

2. They are NOT breeding to meet AKC breed standards. They are purposefully breeding mixes. The only reason to do this isn't to "better an AKC breed" it is to make money, a profit. Period, no matter what they tell you.

3. These dogs are not more hypoallergenic. I don't care what a vet, breeder or doctor says (yes, I'm making that strong of a stance) NO dog is hypoallergenic. Yes, some dogs shed a considerably less amount of pet fur and dander. So someone with a mild pet allergy can tolerate certain fur types (like poodles, Maltese, Shih Tzu, etc.). However, if someone is highly allergic to dogs it doesn't matter the breed or coat type. And if allergies was your main reason for purchasing this type of mix that is a wrong theory. If you mix in a different breed like a golden or Labrador, then you've just mixed in a breed that has a higher amount of pet dander. If that is what you are going for then a purebred would be the best option.

4. "But I like the qualities of both breeds." Did you know that 85% of what dogs will turn out to be has to do with how owners raises them? That's why I have an amazing little Chihuahua that doesn't bark constantly or bite. You can ruin any breed just like you can make any breed or mix amazing. It has more to do with you. Yes, specific breeds come with specific traits, but it doesn't determine overall temperament as much as you think.

Take a look at this website: http://www.heartlightcompanions.com/index.html. These people have over 80 dogs on their property (I'm basing off of someone's firsthand experience of going there.) They are mixing this poodle with this lab, this cocker spaniel with that poodle, etc, etc. No regards for AKC standards whatsoever. No screening of buyers. This person went to their place because they said they would give her a puppy for free. When she got there they gave her 4 dogs for free because they needed to "get rid of them" they were getting too old to sale and the new batch of puppies were on the way. Look at how they have sales as if they are products to be purchased. I do not know these people personally, not have I been to their facility. I am not picking on them. I am only using them as an example at what is happening out there. If someone didn't know any better they might think their website looks great, all the info seems great. What you don't know is that you are supporting someone that is adding to the number of dogs being put down every day.

Josh Loposer wrote an article after interviewing the originator of the labradoodle, Wally Conron. Mr. Conron says he has massive regrets about his role in the doodle craze. An excerpt from the article is at the bottom of this blog post.

I posted this message as my Facebook status one day: "One of the reasons there are so many unwanted dogs is that even educated people that loves dogs and would never do anything to hurt them still make bad decisions when getting their own pets. If I can't get through to them then I can't get through to anyone. It's a never ending battle that gets more depressing every day."

If any of my friends, family or clients own one of the "designer breeds" I am referring to, I am in no way trying to make anyone feel bad or defensive but since you know me I'm sure you already know that. I know many people may have strong feelings as to why a particular mixed breed is right for them and that is totally okay. My goal is simply to share my feelings, make it clear how I feel about it and hopefully educate people about buying dogs and how important the decision is about where to get your pet. Maybe someone out there is considering buying a new pet and had never thought of these things before. That's what I've seen happen in my life recently. That's when it dawned on me that I've never shared this before and that many people simply still do not know. I am here to help; we have a ton of resources we can share. If we can all spread this message to our friends and family then maybe we can make a difference. As I remind myself: A difference one pet at a time.

Thank you for listening, Amanda

Portion of Article by Josh Loposer, published May 6th 2010.

Is your mixed-breed a mistake of monumental proportions, or the crowning achievement of thousands of years of thoughtful selective breeding?

Despite millions of labradoodle owners across the planet who are convinced their pups are the greatest thing since sliced bread, the man credited with pioneering the breed has massive regrets about his involvement in the "oodle" craze. "I don't regret the dog, not for the purpose I bred it for," Wally Conron tells Paw Nation, "I regret all the people who got on the bandwagon willy-nilly. People who are breeding poodle crosses for the money, who have no concern for parentage."

How was Conron to know that by crossing one of his kennel's best Labs with a standard poodle, he would unwittingly spark an international trend that would spawn the schnoodle, the groodle, the roodle and countless other similar designer breeds? In 1988, service-dog trainer Conron received a letter from a woman in Hawaii who needed a seeing-eye dog that wouldn't shed, because her husband was highly allergic. At that time, no one had ever bred a Labrador retriever with an allergy-friendly standard poodle, at least not on purpose.

Now, only 22 years later, labradoodles have their own Facebook pages. Labradoodle enthusiasts, along with other groups of "oodle" owners, are even vying to have the breed recognized as an official breed by the Kennel Council. So why is Conron so ashamed of his own creation? Like many others, he feels that the labradoodle trend started a gold rush for unscrupulous backyard breeders with no knowledge of proper dog breeding. "One of our litters had 10 pups in it and only three were actually allergy-free," says Conron. "Let's face it: they're a crossbreed. You never know what you're going to get. It's a bit like buying a pig in a poke, yet people all over are charging more for labradoodles than purebreds."

Two years ago, it was even rumored that President Obama was considering bringing a labradoodle home to the White House. (Of course, he chose a Portuguese water dog instead). "I actually wrote him a letter that said to be careful and check the parents," Conron explains. "I never heard back."

Puppies

2010-08-04T09:26:00.000-07:00

Awww...there's just nothing like a puppy. Helping Paws Rescue gets lots of puppies, however we often try to avoid it unless someone can take the puppy home. This means we haven't had a little puppy in a long time.

We recently got two puppies, one of which wasn't eating too well so I wanted to take her home myself to observe her health. Her name is Reese but she doesn't know it. I don't really know her as Reese either. She's too little to have a name...an identity, I mean she's just 5 weeks old. But she does. Right now she is a mixture of scared, hungry, tired, cranky, curious, playful and trusting.

Puppies are new life. They are full of possibilities. They depend so much on us humans as they will their entire life. We hold their fate in our hands. Will Reese be loved forever? Or will she live in an outside pen; will she be chained up; will she wander until she meets a death too quick? These are all the possibilities that face each puppy ever born. Each promising fresh slate waiting for us humans to decide their fate. They so depend on us. We made them depend on us.

Reese is a lucky one. She will be loved. She will find a family that will love her forever thanks to Helping Paws Rescue. But looking at her I can't help but think of all the others. All the others....

Reese is love. She is innocence. She is a little sparkle in a person's day. I hold her close to my face as I walk her outside. Hoping she'll always recognize my smell. I smile as she runs through the freshly cut grass which is still tall for her. My heart beams as she embraces life, as she rubs her belly on the ground and barks. (Still so small that her barks are adorable.) I cringe when she keeps me up all night. I love watching her curl in the warm towel.

Awww....puppies. Thank you God for puppies.

STOP BARKING!!!

2010-04-27T13:22:00.001-07:00

My dogs don't bark all the time and if something does get their attention it's usually pretty easy to get them to stop. However our one problem area....when someone's at the door.

I know that many people like it when their dogs alert them when someone's at the house, but not me. It can be quite startling having 5 dogs suddenly start barking all at once. I honestly don't need their help, I can hear the doorbell perfectly well without them alerting me to it. Most of the time it's the neighbor's young daughter coming for an afternoon visit. Nothing to be alarmed about. Nothing scary. So to me...it's a problem.

It's funny; sometimes as I'm watching a movie or tv show and it's someone's house and their doorbell rings. Guess what? No dogs...no barking. Just the peaceful ring of the little bell. Awww wouldn't that be nice? Instead if I know someone is coming over I'm on edge waiting in anticipation to work with the girls and their chorus of noise. I also know that this isn't very welcoming to my visitors. They know and expect barking but still I dream of them being able to walk in with my girls laying on the floor calmly enjoying their company. We get there, but only after about 15 minutes of visitor excitement.

My plan of action is to assign them a place to go when the bell rings. I send them to stand and wait on the living room rug. A task they easily accomplish. Even new fosters catch on pretty quickly. But do they do this quietly? No. So I still have to say, "Enough!" to quiet them. Sometimes it may be several "enoughs" and a mean look on my face that lets them know, "mom is really serious." They know I will follow through if they don't. (Follow through simply means I'll go all the way to them and grab their collar firmly and say enough or something like that.)

Then once they are settled and I greet my now terrified visitor I slowly allow them to come and greet, sometimes one at a time, sometimes all of them. When I give the release command I normally get one good back-talking bark. Bailey has actually been known to growl at the person while holding a toy in her mouth which she is bringing to give to the visitor. This is an example of how ingrained this behavior is. It is so ingrained that I can stand with the door wide open. The dogs can clearly see me. I ring the bell...they bark. I ring again...they bark. Again, they see that it is me just standing there ringing the bell...but still they bark. It takes a good 5-6 rings before they are aware enough to stifle their barks. Silly dogs.

My dogs are fantastic, so well-behaved, I love them so much. I wish I could just let go of this frustration and realize it's okay for them to bark then. As long as they listen to my commands and eventually settle, then it's okay. So that's my plan. I'll continue to send them to the rug, say "enough", ring the door bell at weird times to desensitize them and work on my patience. After all if I wanted a quiet house when the bell rings then why did I get a dog in the first place : ).

Inside my head...

2010-01-04T12:34:00.000-08:00

Inside my head around 6pm on January 2nd:

Ugh, another 1 and a half hours till I get home, traffic is horrible. Why did I go this way? I never go this way. Oooh, a dead dog on the side of the highway. Poor thing didn't have a chance on this busy road.

(Listening to talk radio a few more miles.)

Oh no, what's that?! It's a dog! Walking right here on 75? Are you kidding me? I can't get over I'm in the far left lane. Traffic is too bad...too fast.

(I pass by.)

What do I do? Do I turn around? That's stupid by the time I get there he'll be gone.

(Why I was thinking the dog was a "him" I'm not sure.)

He was headed towards the exit ramp, maybe he'll walk off the highway. But then again, even if he does it's still a busy road with lots of traffic. Look. The next exit is another 2 miles, ugh. It's not my job to save every dog. It's cold out there. I'm going to Athens.....

I can't. I'll get to Athens and not get that dog out of my head. It IS my job. That's what I'm here for. It IS my job. Fine, I'll turn around. He won't be there but I'll turn around.

(Drive two miles, get off the highway, get back on the highway, drive 2 miles again, get off the highway and head to get back on the highway on the ramp he was walking near.)

I don't see him. I don't see him. What's that? Oh God, it's a pile of black. Did he get hit? What IS that? I can't tell, got to keep moving there is traffic behind me. Great, now I won't know if that was him or not. Great, this is awful. Wait! There he is, to the right of the exit ramp still walking near the highway. Stop. Not too quickly there are tons of cars right behind me. Stop quickly, pull to the left, the right is too bumpy. Grab a leash; got it. Okay, careful. Wait for all the cars to go by. Please, please stop walking towards traffic. Please don't get hit in front of me.

(Traffic clears enough for me to run by.)

He's scared. Of course he's scare. I knew he wouldn't come to me. Stop walking. Just wait. Kneel down, talk to him. "Hey sweetie, what are doing here? Come here, come here." He's looking at me. He wants to come but he's scared. The more high pitched I talk the more he can't control the wag of his tail. He's coming. I can't believe it. He's coming! His head is low, ears back, tail tucked but wagging. He's being submissive. He's sweet and he's a he. Definitely a he. Closer...closer...closer...don't move too quick with the leash or he'll run. Gotcha! The leash is on. I breathe... I breathe and then my eyes water. This is what was meant to happen. I was meant to turn around. He was meant to come with me.

Meet Traveler....

She did it!!

2009-12-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

She did it! Jersey learned to ring the bell in order to go outside and go potty.

She actually learned to ring the bell pretty early. She got to the point where if I stood a few moments at the door with all the dogs standing there waiting to go out she would ring it. However, tonight I was on the computer, heard the ring and saw her standing by the back door. I let her out and she went straight out and peed. Success!

I had heard of others teaching their dogs this but never really gave it much thought. Me and my guys have a pretty good routine and most of the time I'd be letting them out a certain times during the day anyway. Occasionally one might whine or pace at the door if they have to go at a "non-scheduled" time. Any pups and fosters simply fell into the same routine.

One day while Jersey was still just a young pup I was out shopping at Pet's Supplies Plus. At their front counter were these very cute, even stylish, bells on ribbons made just for this purpose. I thought "what the heck" and bought one. The first step was to simply hang it on the door. Every time I went to open the door for the girls I would make a big deal out of ringing the bell. Easy enough. After about a week of this I would then stand at the door and do what I could to encourage Jersey to touch it. If she even accidentally bump it I would open the door. Then I would just stand by the door. I could tell she was thinking about. Finally she made the connection and rang the bell.

She's rang the bell before when left inside and I'm outside. She rang and rang wanting to be with me. Since she was new in her training and I really wanted her to connect ringing with the door opening I would allow her to come out. Then once she rang it and when I let her outside she ran to grab a stick she had been chewing and just wanted to play. I called her back in. But this is the first time that it worked perfectly. I'm on computer, she rings the bell, I let only her outside, she went potty and then came back to the door.

How cool is that?! I mean I knew dogs could do this, knew it was relatively easy to train, but to have your dog actually do it....just cool.

Just a Monday Night

2009-11-30T20:50:00.000-08:00

What am I doing? Right now I'm sitting in my den (can't get used to using the word "den"). It's quiet. I've paused the dvr right in the middle of "So you think you can dance." Five dogs are in here with me, but it's quiet. Heidi's in the middle of a bed that is way too big for just her. Kenzie, with front foot wrapped in pink vet-wrap (hurt her toe), is laying in the bed beside her. Jersey, who stays too hot for beds, is laying on the floor very close, close enough that she is resting her head on Kenzie's bed.

Wait...Merlin just sat up...yawned and is staring at me. Since we've noticed each other I wiggle my fingers towards him as a sign to come here. He does, I pat his afro and now he's back to lay down. Bailey is behind my chair on the rug. I can hear the heater and my typing, but other than that, it's quiet. Kinda spooky, Merlin's eyes have rolled back and all I see are the whites. I stare at him, not wanting him to go. My eyes are tearing as I type this. No, don't want him to go. Want to keep him safe here with me. Me and the girls. It could be "the girls and Merlin." Not wanting him to go. Only good applications have been from far away. Great family contacted me today. They are probably the ones. His family......but I'm crying.....because I don't want him to go. "Gotta make the smart decision, gotta make the smart decision," I say to myself to convince me not to keep him...to keep Jersey's brother.

No...I don't want him to go. In this second all I know is that I don't want him to go. His feet are twitching and he's barking in his dream. Don't want him to go.

I must not love my dogs.....

2009-11-30T19:45:00.000-08:00

There's this underlying feeling, belief maybe, that I notice among many dog owners. It has really come to light these last couple of months. Now it's time to address it. I must not love my dogs......

How can I love them? My dogs aren't what people would define as spoiled. Let me tell you why I don't love them:
-I don't allow them on the couch (not even the tiny Miss Heidi)
-I don't allow them in my bed
-I don't allow them to lick me (especially in the face)
-I don't allow them to jump on me
-I don't give them tons of treats (maybe one or two if they're lucky and of course lots when we're training)
-I don't pet them and love on them all day
-They're never allowed to pull me on the leash and most of the time I want them beside or behind me

Here's what they do have to do:
-Wait at doors, no darting through without permission, no going out in front of me
-Wait in the living room while I fix their dinner
-Stay out of the kitchen while I'm cooking and/or eating
-Stop licking/playing/making toys squeak when I'm trying to watch a movie

So it's official....I must not love my dogs. You see in this society we define love in the ways humans define love and we do this no matter the species. We take pride in how spoiled our pets are. I have numerous customers come in and say, "My baby is so spoiled, I've never left her at a kennel. You better take care of my baby." And then they plop up a bag of crappy food and tell us to feed it to their dog and when another dog walks in their dog growls and misbehaves...but, hey after all...it's their baby.

If human parents were to say to you, "I spoil my kids. They don't have any rules in the house. I let them do whatever they want. No, they don't have to go to school and I really don't mind when they pee on the rugs. I let them eat oreos all day because it's their favorite. " We would immediately label them as bad parents. Why? Because everyone knows that children shouldn't be raised that way. But why do we have such a hard time using that same common sense with our dogs?

The reason I believe is that humans use pets to fill up the emotional needs that humans so desire. They want another species that will forever be their baby and love them so much for it. But here's what's missing....what's in it for the dog? Owning a dog is a two way street. Your dog provides you with unconditional love and it is your responsibility to give back to your dog what he/she really needs. That is for you to understand that she is a dog. That's right a dog. And a dog's needs are much different than a humans. Dogs need to have rules, dogs need to have structure, they need to have a clear leader in their lives. If they don't then they can't be as well-balanced as they were meant to be.

Yes, yes, you could be one of the lucky ones that found yourself a calm submissive dog and without so much a tiny bit of effort on your part your dog is well-balanced. But for most of the dogs it's not like that. So let's really take a look at it. Let's really take a look at what can happen when dogs' true needs aren't fulfilled and then take a look at your dog and see what fits.

First: Stop right now and make a list of rules your dog has. Don't make any new ones up and don't list rules that you wish your dog did, but real actual rules that are enforced 100% of the time.

Second: Is your dog well-balanced. You may think your dog is. Below are some behaviors that will let you know your dog is not well-balanced.
-Growl at other dogs when on a walk
-You would be afraid to take your dog to a dog park because they would either be too aggressive or they would freak out due to fear
-Barks non-stop at any small noises
-If they are doing a behavior you do not like you are unable to stop it (like non-stop barking)
-Isn't housetrained
-Is anxious, high-strung, paces, whines, digs, etc. when left alone
-Doesn't have a healthy appetite (you have to "convince" her to eat)
-licks obsessively (really any obsessive behavior)
-Can't learn to respect boundaries (escapes from crates, scratches doors, etc.)
-A prey drive so high you cannot get the dog out of the fixated state once she has spotted "prey"
-growls/bites at humans
-would take off running away from you given the slightest opportunity

These are just a few examples but there are hundreds more. The reason I am doing this is to say ultimately...I don't care if you "spoil" your dogs. But if that "spoiling" gets in the way of them being healthy well-balanced dogs then I do have a problem with it. You know I was joking when I said I didn't love my dogs. I mean really, how many of you can say you built a business around being able to bring your dogs to work? But how does that love rank with others? To me I would have to say, "I love my dogs more." Why? Because I don't give them what I want to give them; I give them what they need. And because of that my dogs are happy, healthy, at a good weight and most importantly well-balanced.

What this gets me in return is an amazing group of dogs. Who else do you know that can take 5 dogs off leash and trust them? It's because I provide such a structured life for my dogs that they are able to reach their full potential. Their real potential. Not just well-behaved for me, but that they can be happy in their own skin. Dogs doing the above aren't happy; aren't truly happy.

Now that I've laid the foundation with them not only do I reap the benefits but they do too. They get to travel with me, go to work with me, go walking with me, go to family's houses, get to hang out off-leash while I work in the yard, they get to eat downtown with me when the weather's nice, they get so much more because of the work I've done...we've done really; as a pack together.

I don't write this to say, "I'm a better pet owner, ha-ha." I write this so that you can take a second to re-evaluate the relationship you have with your dog. Perhaps your dog isn't as well-balanced as you know she could be; perhaps you realized you don't even have one rule in your house. Perhaps you realized you are one of the lucky ones with the ultimate well-balanced dog with no effort. But either way, I hope it gives you pause and most importantly makes you redefine what "spoiling" your dog really means.

ON A SIDE NOTE:
I briefly mentioned above about the customer that says their dog is their baby and then throws the crappy bag of dog food on the counter for us to use. This is one of the biggest mistakes owners that "spoil" their dogs do; horrible diet. It's not good to throw in horrible wet food just to make them eat it or buy the bag that has the prettiest label. You HAVE to learn how to pick the right food. Please don't invest all your love into your pet and then feed them garbage. I am so happy to help you with this, just ask. Also, having an obese pet is just as neglectful as having a pet that has been starved. It does significant damage to your pet. When I see a pet that is so fat, I literally hold back tears. You might as well be beating your dog in front of me. Please, if you take nothing else out of this take a look at your dog's weight and take a look at your dog's food. They'll thank you for it. And then feel free to smack me as well if you see me eating a doughnut.

Emotional stages when your dog misbehaves

2009-11-14T12:04:00.000-08:00

It happened to me just the other day. I looked out my bedroom window and saw my pup Jersey and foster dog Tux digging a hole in my newly sodded backyard. I was furious. So much so that I immediately put them both in time out where they stayed for about an hour. I stared at this hole in my yard.

A few months before: I had my four girls in the front yard to go potty and have playtime. No leashes. The neighborhood dogs came towards us and off went Jersey chasing after them. I did her special recall command and everything, yet further she ran. I followed her in my pj's furious the whole time. Once I caught her it was angry mommy all the way home (again...in my pj's.)

So here's my stages of emotion:

1. Anger! Boy was I furious "how dare they dig a hole in the yard I spent so much money on?!! They have this whole yard to run and play yet they dug a hole!" "How dare Jersey not come when I call!! She knows this command!"

2. Fear and relief (only in some cases). Once I settled from the chasing Jersey incident I felt fear and sadness. She was so close to the main road, what if she had gotten hit. How scary. I would be devastated if anything happened to her.

Now if you're a good dog parent, especially if you're a dog trainer, hopefully you will end with the following emotion:

3. Acceptance and guilt. Once all the anger settles, the nerves calm down, after all is said and done and you can look at what happened, I mean really look at what happened. You realize it was all your fault. You accept it, feel guilt and do better next time.

Wondering how it was my fault? Let me explain using the above two examples.

-Hole in yard. I put a foster dog into my backyard in the morning. The very reason he was with me was because he is an insanely high energy dog and is driving everyone nuts at Pawtropolis. I then put my 8-month old puppy out there with him. So what did they do? They did what dogs do. It is natural for them to explore and play in nature. Smell a strange scent? Let's dig to investigate. If I didn't want them to dig the hole I should have taken them for a long controlled walk before just throwing them into the yard. But I didn't. So it was my fault. They didn't do anything wrong. They were dogs. Now, yes, I should have disciplined them and used it as a training opportunity to teach them not to dig, but I shouldn't have gotten as angry as I did.

-Jersey not coming. Yes, I had trained Jersey with her recall command. I trained her everyday. I trained her at Pawtropolis and I trained her at home. But I had never trained her not once to come to her recall command when the neighborhood dogs were inticing her to play. My fault. My solution, get a long training line, hook it to her and wait till the dogs came around again. When they did, I called and when she didn't come I pulled her in with the rope. Did this a few times and now her recall command is stronger than ever.

The Scary Windshield Wipers

2009-10-10T06:25:00.000-07:00

Every good puppy owners knows just how important it is to expose your young puppy to as many things possible; umbrellas, different people, hats, car rides, vets, etc. But every once in a while something will sneak up on you that you forgot to introduce to your dog when they were young. In my case...the rear windshield wiper.

I turned it on the other day and Jersey had a bit of a fit. She was obviously nervous, moving as far away from it as she could. Her body language screamed fear. So much so that she even jumped into the back seat (a big no-no.) So I got out of the car (I was at a drive through) and put her back in the rear of the durango. But did I turn off the wiper.....no.

I kept the wiper on. Why? Because me as the human knew that Jersey was in a safe situation. I knew that the scary wiper was not going to hurt her. I also knew that if I turned it off that this fear would only intensify as she got older. Yes she was afraid, but became less so as time went by.

Fast forward to next day. A nice sunny day as I drove. I turned on the wiper. It squeaked and she was scared. I'm sure people that I was crazy having my wiper turned on while the sun was out. Did it for about 4 minutes then stopped. This morning I did the same and guess what....no fear.

This method of training is actually called flooding. It is when you purposefully expose the human or animal to their fear and make them face it. The idea being that if they are exposed long enough and see that nothing bad happens then they overcome it. Scared of spiders? Flooding would be sitting in a room full of spiders (or just holding a couple.) Now flooding is only one technique and is NOT appropriate in all situations. However, many times in normal daily activities, like scary wipers, it works great. She faced her fear and now does just fine with the wipers. I'll continue to turn them on for a few minutes each day over the next couple of weeks and she'll be just fine for life.

One mistake most owners do: Turn on wipers, dog is afraid, "Oh my gosh, poor baby, scared of the wipers. I'll turn them off." Then they make sure never to turn the rear wipers on again and make a big deal when telling people, "Mitzi is scared of the wipers, poor thing." And now you have a dog that will be scared for the rest of her life.

So the next time you notice something that your dog is afraid of (that you as the human know is safe) make a point to address it. You can try flooding (in severe situations ask a professional trainer first), you can try sitting calming and giving a treat when the dog shows calm appropriate behavior. You can do lots of things but definitely don't avoid the situation or reward the dog for fear behavior.

And if you're raising a puppy....don't forget the wipers.

Quick update on experiment

2009-09-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

My previous blog was about my experiment, and well, the results.....failed. The only thing the forbid accomplished was to give my dogs diarrhea. Just had to let you know since I just knew you would be on the edge of your seats.

Experiment. Will this work?

2009-09-14T10:17:00.000-07:00

You know your dog has done it at least once. Come on admit it. If you haven't seen it done then you know it's probably happened when you weren't around to see it. Eating poop. This is absolutely one the most disgusting things ever! For some reason I find myself in a household with four dogs who keep doing it, ugh!!

I could use this post to tell you all of the scientific reasons that dogs do this. I could use this post to tell you all of the diet changes or behavioral modifications that you can use to stop it, but I'm not going to. I'll let you do a simple google search online for it (actually called "coprophagia") and you'll find all of that. What I'm going to do is let you in on my struggle. I've done all of those things and more and if I see one more of my dogs eat poop I'm going to get sick.

I did it. I went for it. I ordered a product online called For-bid. Heard of it before but never used it. It is suppose to make the poop taste bad (wouldn't you think it did already?) and the dogs won't eat it. It got delivered today. After using it for about 5-6 days it is suppose to curb the behavior for about 5-6 months. So now, let the experiment begin.....

Side Note: This is suppose to only help if you have a controlled environment of which dogs are around. Meaning this will not keep your dog from eating other's dogs' poop at the park or your neighbor, it is only suppose to deter from the dog that is actually taking the supplement. Since my girls eat each others it should work.

Visit to Retirement Home

2009-09-10T12:36:00.001-07:00

Occasionally we like to visit schools and retirement homes. We've been invited to come out once a month to Talmadge Terrace Retirement Center. Beau (a certified therapy dog), Jersey and Heidi made the trip this week. As you can see from the pics they all three love it. Heidi is great because she fits perfectly in the residents' laps which they love. She can get antsy when I walk too far away, but she soon settles down and enjoys the lovin. Beau is a big ham. He especially likes it when one person is petting his head and another his back. The residents love seeing such a big friendly dog and love hearing the story of him surviving cancer. Jersey, being just a pup, still does amazing. However, she gets tired quickly and every trip after about 30 minutes passes out on the floor. She has learned to "front feet" which means to put her front feet on something on someone. This gets her closer for the petting.

If you are interested in your pet being able to do this, you first step is basic obedience. Your dog has to be able to be under your control at all times. Also, you need to socialize him/her to as many different environments and things (crutches, wheelchairs, etc.) as possible. The more places you can take your dog the better. This makes going new places commonplace and they can be calm and still even if they've never been there.

Jersey and the lake

2009-09-09T18:46:00.000-07:00

I've always thought it would be fun to have a water dog, so I've made sure to get Jersey around water as much as I can. Poodles are water retrievers so I figured it would be no problem as long as she was introduced young. As an interesting tidbit, poodles fancy haircuts actually came about because of them retrieving in cold water. They left the hair in places that would protect their joints and vital organs. (And you thought the cuts were just silly.) Anyway, true to her breed Jersey loves the water. Right now I call her a "messy swimmer." She stretches her long legs so that her back feet can still touch and thrashes with front legs. I don't throw too far. She gets better each trip. We've been going out to Fort Yargo Park. If anyone is ever interested in joining us just let me know.

Meet My Gang

2009-09-08T20:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog. Since my main discussions about dogs will be about my gang I thought I'd take a second to introduce you to my girls. (In order of when they joined our family.)

Bailey (far left)

We joke that Bailey is a hienna mix because we are always asked and she is probably a good mix of lots of breeds. She was rescued by Spalding Humane Society as a pup. We've had her 9 years now. Bailey is co-owned by me and best friend John. Officially his, but listens to me:) She recently had ACL surgery and is learning to use her leg again.

Kenzie (3rd from left)

Kenzie is a purebred dalmatian. She was rescued on her "death-day" from Athens Animal Control. A week later I decided to keep her. She's my baby. She is also the most titled of my dogs. Agility, obedience...all no problem. Loves to play fetch with tennis ball. She is 7 years old.

Heidi (far right)

Heidi will be two in September (we guess). She was rescued along with 300 other dogs from the Jackson puppy mill in 08. I never thought I'd own a small dog or chihuahua, but she stole my heart. It is so different having a small dog!

Jersey (2nd from left)

I've always wanted a standard poodle but would never buy from a breeder. We had a rare opportunity to place 9 standards. I kept Jersey. She's the new up and coming smarty pants, full of puppy antics. She is 6-months old.

In this picture they were practicing stay on the driveway. Training, yes, but really a fun game. They love the release and run to mommy for love!