Who's A Big Dog?

When reading the title, be sure to move your head back and forth and use baby talk, because that is they way I said it when I asked the big dog in the story below this same question. Laugh and deny all you want, but we have all spoken baby talk to a dog before. It helps them understand right? :)

Over the holidays, I was visiting my Aunt and Uncle and played with their beautiful, exuberant, Great Pyrenees/Bernese Mountain Dog mix named Bailey (yes, we are a two Bailey family). When a dog of his size and energy is in the room with you, he is pretty much the center of attention and conversation. At one point I referred to him and his breeds as “large breed”. My uncle, the large dog lover, sort of chuckled and pointed out that while most people refer to this 107 pound beast as “large”, he does not think of him that way. He reserves “large” for the nearly 200 pound St. Bernard’s he used to own.

This reminds me of a time when I had a good laugh. A long time Papillion owner walked into the dog training club one day with a Rat Terrier at the end of her leash. She introduced me to her new breed and explained she had wanted a bigger dog. I suppose relative to a Papillion, Rat Terriers are indeed “bigger”.

So how do we define small breed? What makes one a large breed or a giant breed? Or should we refer to them as small dogs, medium dogs, etc… There does not seem to be any qualified definitions for these classifications that we use and hear every day. Some definitions seem to be based more on weight, while others look at overall physical size. The AKC probably does not have defining these classifications high on their priority list of things to do, so be careful when you use or see these generic descriptions of dog sizes. Try to have/get examples or comparisons. The receiver of the information may have a very different perception than intended.

If you would like to see Big Bailey, as I call him, he is in the pictures section of Paw Pages, which can be linked to from www.dogism.com. My Bailey is the main face you see in the picture associated with this blog. Luey is peering from behind.

Timing Your Treating

Okay, as promised, how and when you treat is as important as what you use. I tell my students on day one to reward the behaviors you want and ignore those you don’t. (There is an exception here for aggressive and dangerous behaviors). Sounds simple enough, right? It can be, but depending on how fast your dog tends to move, how fast you move, the level of difficulty of the behavior etc… it gets harder.
Let’s quickly define a “reward”. Anything that the dog finds pleasing and will want again. Praise, a food treat, a tug on a toy, a thrown ball etc… are all rewards. Food treats are the most convenient and easiest to use initially, so hopefully, you have a treat motivated dog. The thought of a reward motivates a dog to do a behavior again, so it gets the reward again. We do not have to get too detailed into that. Just be sure you are actually rewarding your dog from your dog’s point of view. Not what you think the dog should like. Rewards might also change. After three straight weeks of hot dog treats, your dog may no longer find the hot dog rewarding. Change it up.
The general rule of thumb is to treat your dog within 2-3 seconds of the behavior. Obviously, sooner is better and sometimes necessary. This is where clicker training or a “marker” word are needed. A “marker” is the sound the clicker makes, or the word you use the exact millisecond the dog does what you are looking for. The marker is associated with the reward in the dog’s mind (there is a process to this association that I am not covering here. If you do not know how to make this association, you can find it online or contact me). So even if you cannot reward the exact moment the dog does something right, you can use your marker. My marker is “good”. Many people use “yes”. Simple, quick and easy to get out. Or use a clicker device.
Let me put this into action for you. If you are teaching your dog to “sit” for example, you will want to have the treat ready and offer it to the dog as soon as the butt hits the floor. At the same time, you are giving your marker. If you are not ready and super fast, some dogs will pop back up before you have a chance to move your hand the two inches necessary to treat. That is why your marker must be instantaneous with the action. If the dog is already standing when he gets the treat and you did not mark the sit, you just rewarded the standing position, not the butt on the floor. I see very often, a dog that did a very nice “down” and was immediately marked and praised, but the handler is standing, fumbling for a treat. 5seconds later, the dog is jumping up, sniffing for the treat and the reward is being given to a dog that is jumping (which would usually be a behavior we ignore). Marker or not, how confusing is that to the dog? In the dog’s mind, he thinks the behavior is to down and then jump up so he can get the treat. That is why the marker is key and reward timing is everything. You have to be quick, especially when you are first teaching a new behavior. Be on the ground with your dog if you have to. I understand that the timing is rarely perfect early on, just try to do the best you can and really pay attention that you are rewarding the correct behavior and only the behavior you are looking for.

What's in YOUR treatbag?

I learn with every new class I teach something that I now know as common knowledge is not necessarily for those new to dog training. Unless you have one of those dogs who just is not treat motivated, treats will be a part of your training forever. More so in the beginning than later on. I tell my students the first week of class to bring more than one kind of treat. Not only do you need treats of different value, but you need variety to keep the dog interested. Not that I couldn’t eat chocolate chip cookies all day long, but it is better to mix in a peanut butter cookie now and then.
I usually have 4 types of treats in my pouch. Fortunately, with Bailey, one of those can be dog food. Sometimes I make it more exciting by mixing the dog food in with a freshly cooked, still steamy, hot dog. The grease from the hot dog rubs off a little onto the food. I also always try to have Zuke’s products or similar. The Mini Naturals are a perfect training size for all but the largest of dogs. Jerky Naturals and Solid Gold are nice sized squares. They break easily into 4 or 2 pieces or you can give the whole thing for a jack pot ( a super big, super yummy reward for finally accomplishing a behavior or performing a task the dog generally dislikes). There are those who say that treats can be tiny, nothing more than a taste to be effective. My boys disagree. However, you should not give large pieces all the time either. Dogs can fill up quickly and too many treats can pack on the pounds.
Anything soft and easy for you to break (or bite off) and the dog to chew are good training treats. String cheese, hot dog slices, diced veggies if you can get away with it. I once read a training book which suggested not to use fatty ham trimmings as treats. Okay, um, good advice. I do not think I want to reach my hand into a pouch full of fatty trimmings. Hot dogs and the like can get a little greasy, but your dog will happily lick your fingers (smelly hands can also make a dog think you have a treat when you do not). I also wear my grungy jeans when training, so I can just wipe my hands on them! One trick with hot dogs and other meats, I line my pouch with a baggie so it does not get as greasy. Sometimes, I have the baggy on top of dry treats if I do not want to mix the two. Roll the top of the baggie down for easy access to the hot dogs, yet it is still easy enough to reach underneath.
What you use is important, but so is how you deliver the treat. We will talk about that next…

Luey is a good dog.

“He's a good dog”. A simple statement, but something I needed to be reminded of. I will try to make a long story, not so long. I spent this past weekend at an agility trial hosted by our dog club. For those of you not familiar with these, as members of the host club, you spend pretty much all day at the trial as a worker when you are not running a dog. For me, with one dog, running time totals all of maybe 2.5 minutes. The rest is waiting and working. And this day, there was a lot of waiting and working on top of a very unsuccessful day in terms of agility runs. My day started with a beautiful Jumpers run by Luey, that I blew on the very last jump by not being in position, causing him to knock a bar. Completely my fault, completely avoidable. Our second run of the day, well, we can probably blame some on Luey. He missed a contact and for whatever reason, known only to him, he would not complete the weave poles on two tries. While I am not generally competitive by nature, I do like to succeed and meet standards that we are capable of meeting. Neither myself nor Luey met those standards that day. So I was a little frustrated and unhappy about the day.
A casual joke with an acquaintance regarding my frustration resulted in her stating the obvious about Luey, “he's a good dog”. With that statement came a million thoughts in my head and my having to agree that yes, he is a good dog. Maybe he is not a superstar agility dog, but neither am I a superstar handler (or a superstar anything for that matter). What he is however, is everything that I want him to be in so many ways. He is my boy. He is my silly, tail wagging, wiggly, advanced obedience and trick performing show off dog who loves agility, works as a therapy dog, happy to be anywhere as long as he is beside me, whether it be an all day dog event or a lazy day on the couch. And at the end of each day, he must be snuggled next to me in bed with his nose buried under something.
I would not trade any one of his quirks for all the clean runs in the world and I am embarrassed that I forgot that for even one day. Luey IS a good dog and never again will anyone have to point that out to me. So I look forward to finding out what we can get wrong at our next trial in January. I will be fine with it, because I have such a good dog to get things wrong with.

Meat flavored pills are fooling no one

Rhymes with Orange is a comic in one of our local papers. Today’s strip featured the head of a dog and the caption “Canine Anatomy: What you didn’t know”. The picture pointed out the teeth, tongue and throat complete with spring loaded flipper for pill expulsion! How funny and how true.
Dogs and pills have always been a mystery to me. Our late beloved Chow was not overly excited by toys or treats. You could put a couple of dog biscuits down and they would eventually be eaten over a day or two. Believe me, I tried to find a treat he would eagerly accept, but I really never did. So, nothing about that “meat flavored” heartworm pill was appetizing to him. My trick was to mix them in with some canned food. That was his idea of a treat. Then came Luey, who is a treat hound, only turning his nose up at certain all natural treats which advertise no this and no that and apparently no flavor. I have had some pretty bad all natural, vegan type cookies, so I know where he is coming from. He also wants nothing to do with his meat flavored pills. I can trick him as well with the canned food. Once in a while he finds them, but usually he does not.
Then came Bailey, dog equivalent to a Hoover vacuum. This is a dog we can reward with his own dog food. So when he turned his nose away from the flavor tabs, I was floored. But no big deal, I can just hide them in canned food for him as well. Wrong. The little bugger finds them in there too! What is in these pills that a dog who rarely actually even chews can detect and eject? I am going to have to get creative now… the challenge is on!

Pet Safety

We are almost half way through October and I have failed to mention it is National Pet Safety Month. It is also Adopt a Shelter Dog month and Wishbones for Pets month and I could go on and on. I believe pet safety is of uber-high importance, it is something that we need to think about every day. I actually have had pet safety on the mind recently as it is now very dark in the early morning when my boys get their morning walk and soon it will be dark by the end of our longer, evening walks. Fortunately, we live in a neighborhood with sidewalks. We constantly work on staying on said sidewalks and not wandering out into the street.(Yes, I am talking to you Bailey). We have also taught the dogs to stop where roads intersect the sidewalks. My favorite safety step are the lighted, flashing collars they wear, which are conveniently sold at dogism.com. These are just a few examples of safety on leashed walks! Pet safety can be overwhelming. We have to worry about the foods they eat(or might eat despite our best efforts), plants we keep in the house, chemicals we use in and outside the home, toy parts on both dog and children’s toys, how we transport them… you get where I am going with this.

Pet safety even changes from season to season. However, a lot of keeping pets safe is common sense. Training your dog is also a good step towards safety. There is a ton of information out there on keeping pets safe. Some of it might not be so good, so verify anything questionable. Remember there are products out there too for keeping your dog safe, from harnesses in the car to high tech identification tags. So if October gets you thinking about your pets safety, you have a lot to think about this month!

What month would make a good National Dogism month…??

Doggie Stay-cations

Going out of town and leaving the dogs? Where oh where to leave them? Who do you trust and what can you afford? From standard kennel and pet resorts, to dog walkers and overnight sitters, there is an option that will most likely work for your dog and your budget.
When I was a child, we would take our dog to the vet to be boarded. I am pretty sure my Sheltie was kept in a cage and let out in a little yard a couple of times a day. You could not pick up your dog after 5pm or on Sunday. That was pretty much how it was done and the fact that he came home safe and sound was really all my parents were looking for. Today, we have a whole new outlook. I also believe, price is not as big of a factor as it used to be. We are no longer leaving our dogs to go on vacation, we are sending them on a vacation of their own.
Our first dog was a Chow my husband and I, um, acquired (a story for another day). He had a good temperament, but had his issues. Boarding was not a good option. We were lucky enough to have a friend come stay with him most of the times we were away. If it was a quick weekend, we could get away with a dog walker coming by. He was fine alone and could hold it forever. When we got Luey, it was a different story. Luey would not do well left alone for any length of time, nor was he a fan of the doggy daycare type environment. Our luck continued that we had good friends either willing to come stay at our house or take him in. We saved money too by swapping dog sitting services with each other. Adding a puppy changed things a little. Dealing with puppy issues and puppy energy is not for everyone. We had an occasion where we could not find a friend available for the weekend, so we simply split the dogs up so it was not so much work for one person. I know they enjoyed their one on one time as well.
There are professional pet sitters you can pay to come spend the night in your home if you do not have a friend who can do this. I have seen many people willing to open their homes to a small number of dogs and take them in as one of their own pets. They sleep on dog or human beds and just become part of the house hold activities. These might be good options for shy or nervous dogs.
Then there is the “pet resort” environment. These can be found as standalone facilities or a part of someone’s home. Rarely is a crate or dog run to be found, instead the rooms are furnished with comfy dog beds, usually music and/or a television, a half or windowed door so the dogs do not feel closed in and frequent outside play time with other dogs. Many offer grooming services, even spa like treatments, so your dog is pampered, beautiful and clean when you pick him up. Often, you can even watch your dog via “dog cams” over the internet while you are away. At a family event this past weekend, my Aunt and Uncle from Virginia were telling me what they saw their Bailey doing at “camp”. From what they described, it really was pretty much like camp.
It might be a good idea to check out some local options now, before the time comes that you have to decide where your dogs will vacation while you are away. Do some online research and then check out your favorites. Dog walkers and pet sitters usually insist on a meeting in your home before they commit. Pet resorts and hotels might have certain hours where they have the extra staff to walk you around. I would recommend checking for proper licenses and insurance, but small scale operations might not have this, even though they are very loving and reliable. Use recommendations from friends and trusted sources and most of all, go with your instincts. If something does not sit well with you, keep looking. There are worse things than wondering “does my dog even miss me”?

There is more than one way to skin a cat

If you do a search or browse books on a term such as “dog training”, you will be slightly overwhelmed by the various options and opinions. Many of the methods out there do tend to fall into general categories such as positive reinforcement, dominance theory, luring , shaping, clicker etc… the modern version of two broadest categories can be simply defined as “the Ceasar Milan way” or the “Victoria Stillwell way”. Please understand that neither Ceasar nor Victoria developed their methods from scratch. They are both based on long term dog theory, the dominance theory (Ceasar) being in existence longer than the positive reinforcement methods of Ian Dunbar(Victoria). Researcher beware – there are very strong opinions on both.
I encourage anyone who is interested in any dog training to do their own thorough research. Personally, I feel that there are pros and cons to both methods and which ones to choose or what combination of trainings to use depends largely on the dog and the handler. I also believe that as a trainer, I should understand and appreciate each method for what it is and while I can have an opinion, it comes down to what my students want and need. I would of course refuse to use older, harsh training methods that border on abusive. This can be a fine line, a very gray area to some, but I use my common sense.
Maybe both fortunately and unfortunately, there is a lot of emotion that plays into most if not all of the decisions we make regarding our dogs. Take care not to let emotion make the decision for you, but use your emotion to help you make a training decision you are comfortable with and not what someone tells you to be comfortable with.

I overheard a conversation in the elevator the other day (it is hard not to in an elevator and the woman was not trying to be quiet by any means), a woman was telling her coworker she was finally able to keep her dog off the couch by using a shock collar. I grimaced instinctively, thinking this seemed a bit extreme just to keep a dog off the couch. She noticed my look and defended her actions by saying “It’s not like electrocution, just a little reminder zap.” I was only able to give her a I hear what you are saying, but not really buying it look before they exited the elevator. In hindsight, I should have been quicker to pull out a card for the local dog training club and let her know we have alternative methods. While my reaction was involuntary, did I really have a right to make a face? She was not speaking to me, I did not have the full story and she was using a training method easily found at PetSmart. I use training methods that Ian Dunbar and Victoria Stillwell supporters would not approve of, would I want someone pointing that out to me?
I know there are going to be people who feel it is responsible to speak up on behalf of the animal at all times, while others will find a gray area of appropriateness. Let’s all agree on one thing though, should you decide to voice your opinion to someone who has not asked for it, be respectful and informative, not accusatory. I believe people will be more receptive to listening or at least consider listening if you do not instantly put them on the defensive.

How good is your recall?

As an instructor, I harp on how important a solid recall is, how it just may save your dog’s life one day. As a busy dog owner, I too struggle to find the time and motivation to really proof that recall. It is hard to comprehend that your dog’s life could be on the line. I convince myself that my dogs would “know” I was calling them away from a dangerous situation, should the occasion ever arise. But the reality is, I am kidding myself. My dogs have better than average recalls, especially my older dog, Luey, but they are not good enough. Luey has shown me on a couple of occasions recently, that we need to proof the recall.
The first incident, he was not on a leash because we were going to the car from the house. It never crossed my mind to leash him. He saw a dog across the street he wanted to see and he took off, ignoring my calls completely. Since then, I have been more careful to have him on a leash and pay more attention to what is outside the garage. That practice could not help me in the next situation though.
We have a small park in the back of our neighborhood where the dogs run all the time. There is a retention pond at the back of the park that is full of water this time of year and surrounded by woods. Between the many conservation areas in the neighborhood and the woods, snakes are not an uncommon site. We have even had a couple of alligators removed. We do not let the dogs wander into the conservation areas, nor are they allowed in the retention ponds.
We walked to the park one hot, record breaking afternoon, and apparently Luey was just plain over the heat. He bee-lined to the pond and started swimming around, having a good ol’ time. Of course, monkey see, monkey do, Bailey was in right behind him. It really was only 20 seconds or so before they finally came to me and no harm was done, but it was a long 20 seconds. Enough time a snake could have bitten or whatever else could have happen that I do not even know about. Even though my husband laughed as I told him the story, I was fuming. Maybe partly because they had just gotten a bath the night before. That will teach me!
So I am now dedicated to proofing recalls, going back to the beginning, being sure I have a solid foundation and practice, practice, practice. As a visual person, I do not prefer reading and writing “how to train a dog”. I like to see a behavior, I like to show a behavior. But there are a few key points in recalls that can easily be expressed.
1. Never call a dog to a negative situation. Do not call your dog to "come" to scold or to something they do not like, such as a bath or nail trim. Find another way to lure your dog to the desired location.
2. If you are unsure that your dog will come, do not call until you have a way to enforce it. Have your dog on a long lead where you can bring the dog to you before you call or be close by so you can reach out to your dog.
3. When the dog comes, it is a Party! Have high value treats and/or a toy. This is motivation for the dog to come the next time he is called.
Finally, practice calling your dog away from fun situations, such as playing with another dog and then letting him return. If you only call your dog away from fun when it is time to go, he will associate the call with the end of fun time and not want to come.
This is by no means an all inclusive list, simply important tips to remember. Please share additional tips that you may have.

Old Dogs Can Learn New Tricks

I love to teach my dogs new tricks. My older dog knows all the basics, shake, high five, roll over, speak, balance the biscuit on the nose etc… and as silly as these are, people love to see them and most importantly, he loves to do them. I can hold a treat in my hand, go to the usual place we practice and he will start going through his whole repertoire of tricks hoping to find the one that will get him the treat. The puppy is still learning, “shake” seems to be the first thing he tries. Tricks are a wonderful way to keep dogs mentally stimulated at any age. Dogs always enjoy learning and to be given a job. I have some trouble convincing some of my students on the benefits of teaching their dogs tricks however.
I believe it is the word “trick” that is immediately associated with little dogs dancing in circles wearing tutu’s and playing dead when the owner shows them a finger gun. I do think these are cute. Silly and cute. And therein lies the problem. Some people do not want their dogs to be silly and cute. So I am coming up with a new version of tricks and giving them some clever name that has more to do with behaviors than tricks (still working on that though). For example, Luey has learned the verbal words for a ball and his favorite stuffed toy we call “green dog”. I can ask him to go get a ball and he is reliably bringing back a tennis ball. I can ask him to go find green dog and he will find the prized stuffed toy. A dogs ability to learn multiple items has been well established. I would like to take a behavior like this and translate it into a behavior that any student can find interesting. It may be teaching the dog to distinguish between a beer can and a beer bottle, or it may be a sneaker vs. a high heel shoe. Who wouldn’t be impressed when your dog skipped over the stinky Nike to retrieve a sexy red Jimmy Choo? Better yet, teach her to retrieve someone else’s Jimmy Choo’s (in your size of course).
Tricks do not have to involve any rolling over or costumes. They can be any behavior you wish your dog to perform on command. As with most things, some dogs will learn faster than others and certain behaviors come more naturally to certain dogs or breeds. I believe that a dog will learn just about anything that you keep motivating and rewarding. You are really only limited by your imagination and maybe your patience level. To get started, learn a little about the differences between luring and shaping. You will probably need a little bit of both. Remember that learning needs to remain fun and seem like play. Soon your dog will be bringing you your slippers and paying your taxes. Okay, that last one is going to require a lot of treats…

Dog Talk

I am not in any way an expert on dog communication. I may be pretty good at interpreting my dogs whines and nudges at me, but language between dogs is something I am just getting started in. It is certainly a growing area of interest among trainers and behaviorists. However, ask 5 “dog behaviorists” what the best book on the subject is and you will likely get just as many different answers. What I do know, is that dogs communicate very differently than humans and that is something we must all understand. Aggressive is a word that jumps to mind too quickly for most people when a dog communicates in a way that humans do not approve of. There is a lot of dog language that is not pretty, but it is also not aggressive. Recently, a student was upset when her adult dog reacted "negatively" to the persistent nagging of a very young pup. She grabbed her dog, looked shocked and said that he had never acted aggressively before. Fortunately, I saw the reaction and the owner of the puppy was also a trainer. We were able to explain to her how her dog had simply told the puppy to “back off” in very normal dog language. The adult dog was more vocal than anything, there was no lunging at the puppy, showing teeth or snapping. The owner of the puppy also showed her how the puppy was still trying to play with the adult dog, but had backed up a few inches, giving the adult dog some space. The owner was relieved and completely relaxed when just a few minutes later, her dog was inching forward, getting into play mode with the puppy.

Sometimes dogs just need a little time to assess a situation. This is important to understand as an owner. No one wants their dog mislabeled as aggressive, nor should an owner be overly fearful that their dog is aggressive when it is not. If an owner is uneasy, the dog will feel it and can react to it (misunderstanding the owners apprehension), thereby creating a problem that does not really exist.

I think it is a good idea for all dog owners to get a very basic understanding of dog communication. At least enough to know when to seek more information or professional help and when to relax . Check out your local library or dogwise.com for books on the subject and advice on how to find a good trainer/behaviorist.

The Competitive Spirit?

I am not a competitive person by nature. I would rather enjoy the game than win it. I like to make the rules up as I go along or do what needs to be done to keep it fun (i.e. repositioning the golf ball to make the putt). Of course I do like it when I win and I do usually try my best to be successful, but I think it is more important to keep in mind that a game is a game and not a life altering event.

The same can be said for most of us in the world of dog sports. How many of us are really "making a living" doing agility, freestyle or obedience with our dogs? Not many. There is some degree of credibility for trainers and some others to have accomplished dogs and there are a few professional dog sport players. But for the majority, dog sports are a hobby. So it concerns me that I am hearing too often from newbies just entering dog sports that the majority of people they meet at events are not friendly, welcoming or willing to help them. Is this a side effect of being too competitive or are "dog people" becoming more and more the snobby group they have been stereotyped as in the past? I do not want to offend anyone here, so I will not name any particular groups, but certain groups tend to be less open than others.

In dog sports, the sport is open to all dogs of any shape and size. AKC has now opened many of their events to non purebred dogs. We should be thrilled at the opportunity to get active, dog loving people together in one place for one common goal: having fun with your dog. We all know it takes hard work and dedication to get ready for competition. There are also a lot of rules that can be overwhelming and intimidating to the new competitor. It is so easy to get discouraged by all of this. Those of us with wisdom and experience can help to keep them encouraged, so they continue playing and overcome the early hurdles. A certain amount of competition is motivating, let's try to keep it that way for the good of the sport, our new friends and especially the dogs.

Learn more about getting your mixed breed into dog sports at http://www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/

Respect Thy Neighbor

Being a dog owner is not all that different than being a parent in many ways. One of those ways is seeing the faults in others parenting skills, while your children are perfect. I would have to admit to a little of this myself. My spoiled creatures are certainly allowed to get away with things in my home that other people find unacceptable. This can be difficult when asking others to accept your dog into their home whether it be during a visit while you are present or to watch your dogs while you are away. That is where good training can come into play. A dog that knows what “off” means, can be told not to get on the furniture in another home and usually will quickly learn the rules of that home. A dog that tends to bark when nervous can be taught new ways of coping with fear of strange places. Not only is this better for those around you, it is better for the dogs overall well being.

Too often, dog owners are not clued in to actions or behaviors that they may find perfectly acceptable (or cease to even realize are happening) while the behavior is unacceptable to others. Barking, for example, is a big one. I know a lot of dog owners who have simply tuned out the noise of their dog. They will carry on a conversation or about their business while their dog is barking incessantly in the background. Incessant barking is not really acceptable under any circumstance. A happy, content dog does not bark incessantly. Even if the dog is barking out of extreme happiness, it does not go on and on and on. Yet, many owners do not know how to handle the barking and simply choose to ignore it. If your dog barks constantly, chances are, someone else is hearing it too.

Another important behavior to watch out for is a dog approaching another dog. Not all dogs like to be approached by other dogs, even when neither dog is aggressive or means harm. Some dogs just like their space and will come toward the other dog when they are ready. As an owner of a dog who likes what I call a “controlled” introduction, I have to be on alert at all times that another dog is not invading Luey’s space before he is ready. Having the finicky dog, I accept this as part of taking him places and I am very aware, but I can get distracted. Often times, Luey is accepting of a new dog, but every now and then, Luey will need to tell the dog off and how the other dog and owner react is always a guess. I must take responsibility for my dog in these situations, but just as a child is taught to first ask permission to pet a dog, owners should follow this same advice when allowing their dog to approach and make contact with a new dog.

There are many other examples and I am sure those who know me and my dogs could say a thing or two about my habits, but that is not the point to all this. The point really is to try to be aware of how you and your dogs are affecting others. What might be okay to you, might not be to other people. Be aware of your surroundings and the people in them. When I am invited to someone’s house and they say I can bring my dogs, I fully disclose the personality of my dogs. Sometimes people are okay with it still, other times they change their minds about inviting the dogs. I respect that. I never want my dogs to be someone else’s problem. All I ask is the same respect in return.

Chew Treats

I am always on the search for a long lasting, healthy and safe chew toy. Neither of my dogs have ever been overly interested in Nylabones, though I do not know why. I think they are a great product and I have tried them all hoping to find "the one". Nothing against Nylabone, my dogs are just weird.

I felt especially challenged when Bailey, the puppy, was very young. He was having some digestive issues anyway, so I avoided anything that might upset his stomach. But he was also an aggressive chewer, so most chew treats safe for puppies lasted all of minutes. I finally tried hooves and they proved to be long lasting, did not splinter, did not upset any tummies and most importantly, my puppy loved them. Both of my dogs are chewing on hooves as I type this. My biggest problem with hooves is finding large ones. When I find them, I stock up. It helps that they are relatively inexpensive.

Now that Bailey is a little older, digestive issues solved, bully sticks are a favorite as well. These do tend to last if I buy the really long ones and limit their time with them. They are expensive, so they are more of a treat than something I keep around for daily chewing. The puppy will chew on a natural bone without the need for stuffing (most of the stuffing in those bones looks artificial and nasty) but the older dog, Luey, is not a fan. However, I have recently come across the stuffed natural bone by Red Barn. I love the Red Barn products already and now they have this great stuffed bone. It is an all natural bone stuffed with ground up bully stick. Both dogs are attracted to the bully filling. The filling is not easily removed, they have to work at it and with the larger size bone, they cannot lick it clean in one sitting. They are expensive, but last longer and hold their attention longer than any bone I have tried in Luey's 41/2 years of chewing.

Not that finishing anything in a sitting is much of a problem for my short attention span wild ones. We are apparently done with the hooves and now it is time to wrestle. This usually results in a game of tug of war with the nearest toy and ultimately, the death of the toy as its seams split and it is promptly de-stuffed.

Probably time for some intervention. So give the Red Barn bones or any other of their products a try and let me know what you think.

Are People Still Leaving Their Dogs In Cars On Hot Summer Days?

Unfortunately, the answer is Yes. A co-worker shared this story with me just this week that she heard from a mutual friend. Our friend went to a local (Tampa, FL ) restaurant for lunch with her friend and they spotted a dog in a car, a window slightly cracked. This is not the type of restaurant you go to for take out and being dog lovers, the women were very concerned. I should mention we are already experiencing a nice hot summer here in Florida and this was mid day, easily in the high 80's. Fortunately, one women's husband works with the police department and she made a call. Within minutes, an officer met them in the parking lot and immediately went in to find the owner of the dog. The women wandered into the restaurant and found the officer talking to two people at a table. They all went outside and a few minutes later, only one of them came back in, retrieved some to go boxes for their food and left.



This story has a happy ending. They do not all end well. According to mydogiscool.com,



- Even on seemingly mild days, an enclosed car can be deadly. In a Stanford University study, when it was 72 degrees outside, a car’s internal temperature climbed to 116 degrees within one hour.

- Enclosed cars heat up quickly. In a study by San Francisco State University, when it was 80 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car rose to 99 degrees in 10 minutes and 109 degrees in 20 minutes.



If you see a dog in a car you can call your local police department or animal control, especially if the animal looks distressed already. You may also be able to find the owner of the dog/vehicle in nearby businesses.



I am not in the habit of leaving my dogs in the car for any reason, so I am not sure what people are thinking when they do this. I also thought everyone was aware of the dangers, but apparently not. Please help educate the public on this often tragic practice by going to http://www.mydogiscool.com/ and learning more. There are even free downloadable posters you can print and distribute.

What is your dogism?

ism
Pronunciation: \ˈi-zəm\
Function: noun
Etymology: -ism
Date: 1680
1 : a distinctive doctrine, cause, or theory
2 : an oppressive and especially discriminatory attitude or belief

Concise definitions from Merriam-Webster, yet so open to interpretation and affected by personal experience. Focusing on definition # 1 (wishing to ignore definition #2, but knowing I will have to address it eventually) I asked others “What is your dogism”?

Having no idea what to expect and struggling with my own personal dogism, I was pleasantly surprised to see common underlying themes. Unconditional Love and Companionship. Maybe a little cliché, but so true. One dogism expressed “pure love… all the time” while another suggested that we humans could learn a thing or two from our dogs about the concept of unconditional love. Then there was the classic “I wish I was as wonderful as my dog thinks I am”.

One dog owner wrote “Dogs are the best foot warmers on a cold night, or any night for that matter!”. To me, that dog owner is not really looking for warmth, but the comfort a dog brings. Probably my favorite so far is “Have fun with your dog!”. It really can be as simple as that.

So What Is Your Dogism?

Please share with me here, or email sharewithus@yourdogism.com.
Check out all dogisms at www.dogism.com and click on Paw Pages for dogisms, photos and more!