Quite a few people have written me wanting to know how they can help animals affected by Hurricane Katrina. Today's Bark Blog has an excellent article concerning assistance and what do for your pets before and in case of an emergency.

UPDATE-LSU invovled
http://www.vetmed.lsu.edu/

Most rescue people believe that dogs deserve a new name to go with their new life. With that in mind, I have given my rescue project the name Vegas, because I am taking a gamble on him.

This morning I sprung Vegas from the kennel for his 11:15 vet appointment. He was given a physical that he passed, and a blood test for a complete thyroid panel. There is a lot of research showing that dogs with Low Thyroid can be aggressive, and that they may improve with replacement medication.

Today at the vet Vegas was wearing a muzzle, but still sweet as pie. He play bowed and got excited to see everyone in his path ,and his sweet demeanor was like a magnet that pulled everyone over to him for a bit of loving. Vegas won the heart of the entire vet staff.
He leaned into both the vet tech and the vet for support and love during his blood work, which led the vet and I into the following discussion.

In some ways, this sweet 14 month Golden Retriever is the most dangerous of dogs, because in a million years, you would not think this dog could hurt a fly...yet he has three confirmed bites. He is the dog that kids will hug and smother with love, and he is the dog that people will let their guard down around much too quickly. I know of at least 3 occasions, none of which I can write about here.

But on the other hand, if I didn't have kids, I think he would be a breeze for me to rehabilitate, and in turn could be either a great pet, or a performance dog in competitive obedience, agility, freestyle, and rally-o.

When we were leaving the vet, I took off his muzzle in the parking lot and when I opened the car door, he decided he didn't want to get back in. I observed him closely and decided for some reason he was afraid, but I did make a note to myself that in prior situations, he had been forced to do many similar things with unfortunate results. I tried taking him for a quick walk and that didn't do it. I tried luring him up into the car with food, still no luck. The one time I pulled on his leash to get him in the car he gave me a hard stare, otherwise known as the evil eye, and I backed right off. I got in the car and just sat holding his leash, ignoring him and he jumped in on his own accord. I praised him lavishly.

Vegas then gave a me a look that said "you have passed the test".
Now call me crazy, but something did pass between me and that dog in my car and I am sure we understand each other. Vegas was visibly relaxed for the first time all day on the ride back.

When we got back to the kennel, Vegas treated the staff like his long lost best friends in a way that only Goldens can, and the kennel has more than graciously agreed to keep him until his test results come back, which may take up to two weeks due to the holiday weekend.

Life would be great if it turns out the dog has a medical cause for his aggression and we can treat it. If that is the case, we should see a change in about 6 weeks if the medication works. If his aggresion has a treatable medical cause than I will rehome him. (or keep him...did I just write that?) But as things are right now, it would take a very special person to be able to handle him safely, and there are not many qualified people getting in line to help dogs like Vegas.

But I am getting ahead of myself, because right now the odds are stacked up against him.

***To read more about Vegas, check out a previous blog Rescue Sucks.

Interesting article in the Portland Press Herald today. Starting in October registered dog breeders and pet stores are being charged a $25. surcharge for each puppy sold. The money will go directly to fund spay/neuter programs.

I have to comment on these two quotes:

Breeders can avoid paying the fee by spaying or neutering the animals before they are sold.

"But if we spay or neuter them," St. Hilaire said, "they can't be registered with the (American Kennel Club). That brings down the value of the puppy."

Foss added that she considers it unsafe to spay or neuter a puppy younger than eight weeks old, the age when her dogs are typically sold.

While many shelters now spay and neuter puppies at very young ages before placement, there is a debate concerning the long term health effects of very early spay. During a web search, all I could find was positive information in favor of spay and nueter at any age. If anyone has a link to a study that shows otherwise, I would be interested in seeing it.

The comment claiming that dogs who are spayed or neutered cannot be registered with the AKC is true, BUT did you know it is possible to register dogs and compete with them in AKC sanctioned events even if they are purebred strays through the

Indefinite Listing Privilege better know as ILP.

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Yesterday's comment by my 'ol friend Thia, who has taken on a problem dog warranted it's own blog instead of an answer in the comment section, because so many people make this same mistake.

Thia wrote:

Kofi just got called ""vicious" for simply growling at another dog who ran up to him, I reprimand the growls and am patiently watching them get less frequent, rewarding the quiet greetings.

Respect your dogs growl. Kofi in this situation is acting out of fear. His growl is a normal response to let us and everyone one else know that something has made him uncomfortable. It doesn't mean the dog is aggressive, but a fearful dog can easily become aggressive. That is when you step in and send the approaching dog away, or U-Turn and walk briskly away. If/when we take away a dogs growl, then we are left with an unpredictable aggressive dog...a dog who may strike without warning and for apparently no reason. In the old days of correction based training, this was a common occurrence. The concept (my horse training friend!) is similar to not punishing a horse that shies, but instead we slowly help them conquer their fear.

Your goal is to try to keep your dog in his comfort zone, that is the place where he doesn't react or feel threatened, or afraid. In dog trainer speak we call this working sub-threshold. Your dog should be showing no signs of stress and should still be interested in treats. If he is stressed out, widen the distance between your dog and what is upsetting him. We work very slowly with these dogs, at a sub-threshold level to help change the dogs emotional response. Pushing a fearful, unsocialized dog too fast, will only make them worse. I do realize however that this is not always possible because life and other people and dogs get in our way. When out walking, those of us with reactive dogs always need to keep one eye open to avoid conflict. Do the best you can.

And you are right to praise calm behavior. A fairly new book called Click to Calm by Emma Parsons could help you a lot with this. The Agbeh Files have lots of great info on this topic as well. You should consider joining the group and posting Kofi's history to gain another perspective of what is going on and what you can do to help him. Another great inexpensive must read is The Cautious Canine by Dr. Patricia McConnell.

You are right to think that a calm steady baby sitter type dog could help him feel more confident and secure. Vegas, my newly renamed rescue dog of yesterday's blog, unfortunately is not that dog.

Taking on problem rescue dogs does have it's share of headaches, but the rewards with the tough dogs are the sweetest.

A few weeks ago on the Yahoo group list for the Association of Pet Dog Trainers, the topic of Greenies came up. I wrote in to tell my tale of how I had to administer Canine CPR to Rusty, a Jack Russell Terrier, who stayed at my house for a long weekend, while a good friend recovered from surgery. Rusty bit off a large piece and nearly choked to death.

The very first night the dog was here, I gave him his nightly Greenie. He ate it quickly and a piece got lodged in his throat. I had to pick him up, turn him upside down, pull out his tongue, and jam my fingers down his throat, and try not get bitten all at the same time. All the while I was chanting...you can't die on my watch....don't die on my watch...please Rusty...don't die. Time stood still while I did everything I could think of to get that Greenie O-U-T! In hindsight, it must have been quite a site to behold!

It was very scary, but I got the piece out and it was probably an inch and a half square. I am not really sure, because he swallowed it back up before I could get a good look at it! That dog didn't poop for 4 days, and I am certain he had a large piece lodged somewhere. I had called the Vet and we were watching him for signs of distress. Rusty was quite close to being scheduled for tests and possibly surgery when the piece finally passed. All the while my good friend is calling to check on her baby and I am lying through my teeth, saying "oh he's great, and we are all having a blast!" I felt it was as good a time as any for a little white lie. My friend was very sick and there was nothing we could do for the dog other than wait and see. Had he needed surgery, I would have told her first. Rusty still enjoys Greenies on a daily basis, but she doesn't feed them to him in the presence of other dogs. We believe that being in the room with my dog is the reason why he snarfed it down so quickly.

During our on line trainer discussion many wrote in to say that anything we give our dog has the potential to be harmful, and that we need to monitor our dogs closely. A well known vet behaviorist wrote in to share tales of everyday items that she has removed from many dogs over the years, and noted that she has had comparatively few Greenie incidents. Others wrote in that they use only Greenie Teenies little bit chips, which I thought was a good idea, and even more trainers wrote in to report that their dogs were addicted to Greenies, and acted like little druggies after dinner when it was "Greenie time".
Count me out as a Greenie enabler, and apparently I am not the only who has had a problem.

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Rescue sucks!
There comes a day in the lives of all animal rescuers where the only thing we can think of to explain having to put down a young beautiful dog is that life is not fair and rescue sucks. We wish all stories had happy endings and it the ones that do that keep us all going...barely.

I can't get into details but I am trying desperately to help a young dog who will be put to sleep on Friday unless I figure something out really quick. Currently he is being kenneled for no charge by a local kennel who is a very good friend of local rescues and for that I am very grateful!

Dog in question has issues with resource guarding and does have two confirmed bites. I am contacting Tufts to try to get him into the aggression study that I mentioned last week , and that is the only thing that is buying him a few days. Obviously I can't place him as is.

sigh...if I didn't have kids he would be in my house right now.

Recently I have come to terms that most of my clients cannot carry out the required training plans for dogs with issues because they are...well...human. It is human nature to expect the best and rush training, and move too quickly. I am revamping my requirements concerning taking on problem dogs. From now on IF I decide to take on a problem dog people will have to sign for and pay in advance for a minimum number of sessions to be completed in a required number of weeks. This new requirmentment is for the dogs, not my bank account. I have found that people have taken the little knowledge I give them in a training session and run with it, and not always in the right direction.
Let us remember that a LITTLE knowledge can be your doom. Patience people!
I have said this time and time again, but it applies each and every day, so here I go on my soapbox again:
If you have aggression issues with your dog YOU have the best chance of helping YOUR dog.

More great footage of Sheba! This time the film crew brings along an animal
behaviorist.

Hawk's wanted poster picture

Meet the newly (rediscovered and) renamed Hawk. In Native American folklore, the Hawk is the messenger, and those who have met this dog believe that he has something to teach us all. This sweet dog was born at a puppy mill and spent the first five months of his life caged in a Pet Store. He was then purchased by a family who had no idea about the reality of living with a young unsocialized Border Collie. They had him for 3 months but couldn't get him used to living with people and they were never successful at house training him, so the pup was relinquished to a shelter. Like many Border Collies, he did poorly in the shelter and the poor pup just "shut down" completely, and he wouldn't eat or drink and he bucked and snapped when put on a leash, but mostly he just lay curled in a ball, totally shut down from the world. The shelter called New England Border Collie Rescue.

When Monique, a NEBCR evaluator went to see him, he was nervous, but he did pass the basic temperament test that she used to evaluate him and on Easter Sunday he was picked up from a New Hampshire shelter and brought to his new foster home in Tynsgbororo Ma. Poor Hawk, then named Harley was a nervous wreck, slipped his collar and took off. For the next 2 months, there was a HUGE effort to capture this dog who managed to stay in the area of Tyngsboro Ma. not far from where he was lost. Many people were involved in trying to capture him but they did not succeed. Many NEBCR volunteers, ACO officers, a few locals and Debbie Hall from Lost Dog Search.com a woman who makes finding lost dogs her personal mission, all gave it their best shot. But the dog was too frightened to let anyone close to him and there came a day when there were no longer sightings of Harley, and we took him down from the NEBCR web site and we all feared that he died.

Last week NEBCR got a call from the Nashua NH Humane Society, where Hawk had originally been relinquished, to let us know that the dog had been apprehended. Apparently he had been coming regularly to visit a young puppy in a local back yard. The owner of the puppy began feeding Hawk, but Hawk would not come close enough for her to catch him or even be able to touch him; so she contacted the local ACO. My friend Wendy, who had taken the bus from Bangor to Ma., and had spent 10 solid days in a row trying desperately to capture Hawk, immediately agreed to foster him.

Here is what she had to say about his vet appointment Tuesday, after being in her home since only Saturday:

Hawk definitely has a Guardian Angel watching over him. Today he went to the vet for an initial check-up and he was so good we didn't even need a muzzle. He received his vaccinations and has tested NEGATIVE for Heartworm!!! He did test positive for Lyme and will be on a 28 day course of antibiotics and receive the Lyme vaccine. His stool sample showed no intestinal diseases and no worms or eggs which is just unbelievable when you consider what he's been through. Anyway, the vet decided we should worm him just in case some eggs didn't show up on the test and then he'll be on Interceptor so that should take care of that. Hawk weighed a whopping 34 pounds and it's all solid muscle. He will be neutered on Sept. 1st and microchipped. Otherwise, he is remarkably healthy. The vet did find a few fleas but he is on advantix now so they are no concern. I attached a couple quick photos for those who haven't seen him except on his "wanted" poster. He has not had any in house accidents with the exception of once over-night (I slept in too long). He will whine when he needs to go out and goes straight to his business once he's outside. I have no clue why his family couldn't house train him. He's very quiet in his crate and goes right inside whenever he wants security. He's eating 3 - 1 cup meals of Innova Evo a day and drinks plenty of water. I've been taking him on 15 - 20 minute walks through the wooded trails on a long line hooked to his halter and my belt and he has not once tried to escape, nor does he race too far ahead or pull in sled dog fashion. He constantly checks to see where I am and if I stop to pick some berries, he settles in the tall grass and waits patiently for me. Tomorrow he will have a bath and nail trim but what a great dog he is already. I have learned the hard way that this can change very quickly but so far he is a real "keeper" and I mean that to say I'm hoping he will want to stay here permanently. His eyes fill my heart with a warmth and gentleness far beyond his experiences could show. I promise to keep everyone up to date on his progress. Thanks to all of you for your good thoughts, encouragement and tremendous support.

I admit to being a skeptic and thinking that this dog may be too feral to save, but I will happily admit when I am mistaken. Continued success Wendy, and welcome back Hawk!

Thanks Wendy for some great new photos! Keep them coming!

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Forwarded email:

DOES YOUR DOG SHOW AGGRESSION - GROWL, LIP LIFT, SNARL or BITE - TOWARDS
FAMILY MEMBERS, OR DO YOU KNOW OF A DOG THAT DOES?

Nick Dodman BVMS, MRCVS, Dipl ACVB, Jean Dodds, DVM and I are running a
double blind (placebo) study at Tufts Veterinary School to assess the effect of
thyroid replacement alone (in dogs with suboptimal thyroid function) on
aggressive behavior (and other behaviors if they coexist with aggression). We are
trying to recruit dogs for this study, and are happy to work with your
veterinarian on this.
What you will get: Free thyroid panel, CBC and biochemistry profile done by
Antech and interpreted by Jean Dodds. Six weeks of thyroxine, if your dog's
thyroid levels qualify him/her for the study. Behavioral advice.
What you will need to do: Keep a daily log (takes less than 5 minutes a day)
of aggressive incidents for 2 weeks before the medication (thyroid or
placebo) and 6 weeks during which the dog receives one or the other. You will be
asked not to change anything about the way the dog is handled during this time.
We also ask that there be no elective surgeries or major changes in the way
the dog is kept. At the end of the 6 weeks, the pharmacy will let us, (and
we'll tell you and your vet) which treatment your dog received. If placebo you
will then be given 6 weeks of thyroxine to try. If you notice an improvement
we'd like to know, but you will not have to maintain the log. If your dog got
thyroid and improved, you will be able to continue thyroid at your own expense.
If thyroxine did not improve his aggression he can be weaned of thyroxine,
and we will give you behavioral advice (we'll answer behavior questions anyway)
and other ways to manage the problem.
If you have questions, or if you have a dog that you think would be a good
candidate for this study please contact Nicole Cottam Behavior Service
Coordinator at Tufts University's Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at
nicole.cottam@tufts.edu
Please cross post to other dog lists you may be a member of.
Linda

Linda Aronson, DVM

Husbands are the new dog in the UK

and
( for those of you who can't get the video)

Are squirrels the new dog?

Caution! Wide Load!

The dog days of summer have added a few pounds to my dog. Charlee turned 6 last Friday and she no longer requires the daily rigorous aerobics of her youth. This is the first summer that she has been left home for hours at a stretch while we went to the beach, and unfortunately it has started to show. In the past if I was going to be gone for more than 5 hours or so, Charlee and I would be up at the crack of dawn for at least an hour of off-leash aerobics. This pre-dawn workout was just the beginning. Two or three more sessions would usually follow every day.

This summer has been quite hot and her exercise requirements are now that of a normal dog (not the destructive Energizer Bunny of yore) , and it hasn't been as imperative that I get her out and about as much. Not so says her swelling middle.

My three kids all think they are doing her a favor and continuously buy her love with left overs. It's a wonder she isn't any bigger. At her spring vet appointment I was told she should lose 5 pounds. I can safely say those 5 pounds are not gone, and they gained a few friends.

A few years ago when she was fit and trim and we were taking agility classes, my trainer told me she needed to loose at least 5 pounds. We went on a special diet which included canned pumpkin with no sugar added for filler, but the rest of the family felt bad for her and just fed her more claiming she was hungry. It really is important to get the whole family on board when a dog goes on a diet.
Was she hungry, or does she just know how to play to a crowd? I pick the later.

We are starting agility again in the fall, so the way I see it, we need to let go of at least 10 pounds, and take my nearly 60 pound dog to under 48 pounds. She is a big dog so it will be a challenge. I will not work her in agility until she has taken off some weight. It would put too much stress on her body.

Happy Birthday Charlee! Her present is a stricter diet and more scheduled exercise for the two of us of,
and one of these. I will report back soon on her "review" of this new toy.

For more info fetch this!

It basically says, less food more exercise!

Remember the old saying...If your dog is fat, YOU need more exercise.

This blog is dedicated to my friend Nathalie- an expounder (thank you thesaurus!) for fit and trim dogs everywhere!

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Check out Sheba the Wonder dog and see if you can spot her handlers subtle cues that indicate to her to stop counting.

What is a cue? That is the signal to start or stop a behavior. Ever hear of Clever Hans?

I must have been sent this video of the cat hanging from a fan at least 30 times

You all can stop emailing me Elvis the Robo Cat to. This is a joke from the folks at Comedy Central- but it sure looks real.
Check out: Elvis the Robo Cat

As someone who works with a lot of dog herding breeds, I especially loved this clip of the Cat herding commercial . For a good laugh, click Stuff on My cat. Too funny! Make sure you scroll all the pages, and check back often. Stuff on My Cat is updated everyday.

Just for the record, yes I like cats!

Update: How about this link Lindsay
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Today at the Children's Museum, Charlee and I did our second Dog Safety Demo of the summer for the museum goers and a separate show for the summer campers.

The program is interactive (and fun we like to think!) and Charlee helps the kids participate by giving out hints concerning dog safety.

Can you guess the first thing we covered?

Never touch a dog that is_______ (did you guess sleeping?)

After the show Charlee made some new friends on vacation from England. Fossie is holding her leash.

The second show was for the kids at summer camp.

I think all the kids enjoyed our visit as much as we did!

Dog safety demonstrations are free to qualifying groups! For a copy of the K 9 Safety Tips for Kids handout that the kids received today click here

When my Whole Dog Journal came in the mail today I was thrilled to see they printed my letter. In the May 2005 WDJ issue, editor Nancy Kearns wrote a piece called the Collar of Money,where she reviewed and recommended several dog collar companies. I emailed her to point out that she left out Lupine. Not only are Lupine products reasonably priced, but they are guaranteed even if chewed. They come in cool designs and the matching leads also carry the same guarantee. At Pet Stores in the Portland area all you need to do is bring back the pieces and they will replace your munched merchandise on the spot.
Charlee won her martingale Lupine collar at the Angell Memorials annual Mutts and Stuff dog walk and fun show in 2000 for her hilarious rendition of break dancing in the best trick catagory. She is still wearing that same collar today. Martingales, sometimes called limited slip collars, are great for dogs who can back out of normal collars, like Greyhounds or other breeds with narrow skulls. If Heidi had been wearing a martingale collar she never would have been able to slip her collar and bolt at the airport!

If you do not already subscribe to The Whole Dog Journal what are you waiting for?

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Welcome Lurkers!

Today is a great day to leave a comment, ask a question, suggest a future blog, introduce yourselves, or broach whatever topic is on your mind.

Many of you have told me that you have gotten error messages when posting comments and have given up.
I have had the same problem myself and know it is frustrating, but I have found that if you try back a few minutes later the comment will go through. I look to forward to hearing from you!

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I am excited to announce that I will once again be staff at the Susan L. Curtis Foundation’s
Second Annual Camp Buster! It was by far the most fun I had with my dog last year and we can't wait to go back.

One weekend only – September 30-Oct. 2, 2005 at Camp Susan Curtis, Stoneham, ME
You and your favorite dog can go to camp together in the beautiful White Mountains of Western Maine.

Activities for you and your dog include:
• Beginner’s Agility
• Obedience Training
• Tellington Touch
• Frisbee Contests
• Barks & Crafts
• Animal Communication
• Canine Good Citizenship Testing
• Water Sports and Waterfront Activities
• Hiking and More…

You can also: go for a walk among the pines, canoe on the lake, photograph your dog against a backdrop of the White Mts., or show off your dog’s talents in the Talent Show! (This is only a sample - can’t give the whole schedule away!) At night, sit around the campfire, tell tall tales and roast a marshmallow or two…

ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE! Proceeds from Camp Buster support Camp Susan Curtis, Maine’s only residential summer camp exclusively serving disadvantaged Maine children.

Tuition is all-inclusive, including five homecooked meals and comfortable accommodations. Dorm-style log cabins, duplexes and private cabins are available. Visit their website, www.susancurtisfoundation.org, for more information. To register, contact (207) 774-1552 or campsue@maine.rr.com

Piglet on set in 'costume' Tracy Doyle photo

On a few of the many on line dog lists that I read daily, I have followed the story of Piglet, a deaf Pitbull who was tossed in a dumpster at only 8 weeks of age by her breeders (term used loosely). Nearly 4 years ago Tracy Doyle of Illinois, pulled her from the Rock County Humane Society in Janesville, Wisconsin and had planned only to foster her, but ended up keeping her. The rest as they say is history. Over the past several months I followed Piglets adventures in the starring role of the recently wrapped movie Dog Jack. Piglet plays Dog Jack a dog hero, who accompanies his runaway slave owner and serves bravely in the Civil War.

The publishers of the book also have an online photo. Fetch their great on set photos here.

The kids and I will be first in line for tickets when the movie is released next spring.

Lets hear a loud 'Yip Yip hooray' for any and all the positive press that Piglet is bringing to Pitbulls, deaf dogs and rescue dogs everywhere!
Congratulations Tracy!

UPDATE 8/25-video!
http://kdka.dayport.com/viewer/viewerpage.php?Art_ID=9243&tf=video_player.tpl&Category_ID=13

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My good friend Jade told me earlier today that my dog Charlee smelled like a Bear. I explained to her that my dog is a swamp monster and will lie down in water and mud to cool herself off whenever she gets the chance, which is just about everyday. As if on cue, Charlee lay down on Jade's porch and showed us her stagnant pond under belly, where we could almost see the tadpoles. I assured her that Charlee was getting a bath TODAY and that she also had a date with the shedding blade because her stanky fur was flying all around the house.

A bit later on I had company over and the kids let the dog out. Not two minutes later, Miss Pond Scum comes home all proud of herself. I am alerted to a new horrid state of affairs by the sound of 3 and 4 year olds yelling..."EEWWWW who pooped!" and looked over to my dog only to find that Charlee had rolled in unidentified feces that were now covering her side, collar and scruff. If I were to guess, I would say cat poop, but the world will never know.

What is the worst thing your dog has ever rolled in?

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This shameless plug will appear throughout the month of July.

POOCH (Portlanders Organizing Off-Leash Canine Habitats) had their first (hopefully annual!) Pooch Fest last Saturday Aug. 6th at the new Quarry Run Dog Park. The turnout was not as big as they had hoped, perhaps because it shared the day with the Beach to Beacon Run, or maybe because it was a brand new event, but it was a fun day for a worth while cause. Pooch needs to raise much needed funds to help pay for upkeep and park improvements to the Valley Street OLA and Quarry Run. A few of the projects that are hopefully in the works for Quarry Run are to replace the temporary plastic fence that surrounds the swamp with a a metal fence, to raise sections of the fence that are easily stepped over in the winter and to add a visual barrier to the gates. If you couldn't make it to Pooch Fest , you can still help with a donation!

A monetary gift will help maintain, improve and develop new fenced off-leash areas.

---$10 buys one foot of fencing
---$25 rents and powers one security light for one month
---$50 buys four rolls of pick up bags
---$75 buys one section of fencing
---$100 makes tails wag!
---$250 achieves the full body wag!

Make checks payable to POOCH and mail to:

POOCH
P. O. Box 7667
Portland Maine 04112-7667

Here are some pics I shot on Saturday. Unfortunately they are not my best. My camera was very temperamental due to the mixed lighting from the shade trees. It was hot that day!

Casey CGC and her owner helped me with my AKC CGC demo (thank you!) They did great!

>
Casey and puppy Murphy also helped with the 'Reading your Dogs Body Language' Demo.

SMARRT Agility Club was on hand for exciting agility relay races.

Deb, a member of SMARRT and her five Italian Greyhounds!

The Comfort Height Dog Dish was a big hit. We do not yet have running water at Quarry Run. It was displayed at Pooch by Jennifer Scott of Comfort Pet Products. She designed it, patented it and manufactures them here in Maine. (jgs3223@adelphia.net 207-499-2480) Mention Pooch and receive a discount, and Jennifer will donate $5.00 to POOCH.

If dogs were allowed full access to the beach, maybe we would more see of these types of products.

From Cocojorhawaii

For more over the top dog products, check out my other related blogs:

Shoes you can't use
Here comes the bride
Bling it on and Balls

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Many well-known trainers and behaviorists have come forward to issue warnings about dog parks. Even off-lead puppy classes have come under fire. Why? Because people often don’t know how to recognize or respond to problems when they arise and can inadvertently do more harm than good.
Many owners treat their dogs like children. But would you let a two-year-old play unsupervised with significantly older children while you had coffee with the other children’s parents? Would you allow a toddler to wrestle, bite and annoy a senior citizen? Would you allow the neighborhood bully to repeatedly pin your child down without intervening?

Owners have an obligation to their dogs. They need to better understand their dog and know how to interpret their dog’s body language. Dog parks can be wonderful places for canines and humans but they hold the potential for conflict and consequences.

Watch out for the bully dog! It’s a fact of life—some dogs will attempt to bully or intimidate other dogs; some occasionally, some constantly. Some dogs don’t do well in multiple dog situations and may become aggressive. Some breeds are more likely to inflict harm. On one of my recent trips to a dog park a young female chased younger dogs down like prey animals. She bit their necks, rammed them and pinned them down. Many secondary fights broke out as the dogs collided with their owners in their attempts to escape her. Clearly this is the time to make your exit! Allowing your dog to be traumatized by the bully dog could make your dog fearful of other dogs and hamper future training.

Dog parks are not for every dog. Don’t take it personally. Just as some people don’t like crowds, some dogs are uncomfortable in groups. Keep in mind that your dog’s tolerance for time spent at dog parks may diminish with age, much in the same way your tolerance for crowds has diminished with age. In the case of Pitbulls, dog parks are not recommended past early adolescence due to the likelihood of dog/dog aggression.

Beware the ‘Resource Guarder’! Not all dogs are willing to share their playtoys or treats! Owners need to use extreme caution when playing with toys and handing out treats in a dog park setting.

Beware the Fence! An agitated dog on the outside of the fence can aggravate dogs inside the fence’s boundaries. Allowing the dogs to meet through the fence is not recommended and could lead to barrier frustration/aggression. Don’t allow your dog to run up and down the length of barrier on either side especially if other dogs are getting agitated.

Don’t allow dogs to congregate at the gate or exit. Allow newcomers to acclimate and have an escape route. Dogs need to be able to flee. If your dog has learned some obedience, by all means practice before you let them loose. Let the park be your good dog’s reward!

Protect your dog and be on the look out for trouble around you. Often times people do not read their dog correctly. If your dog comes bounding back to you and there are other dogs in hot pursuit, chances are he is looking for a little back up. Always be prepared to step in and protect a frightened dog.

Don’t take females in season to the park! Enough said.

Beware of intact male dogs. An intact male is often (but not always) a predicator that his owner is not responsible. Beware of more than one unaltered male dog in the park at a time; problems can quickly escalate.

Be aware that different dogs have different play styles. Help your dog choose friends that he is comfortable with. Some dogs like a paws off approach to play, while others live for wrestle mania. As dogs mature their behavior and tolerance levels change. Just because your dog played well with a dog as a puppy, does not mean they will be lifelong friends.

Do not take a sick dog to a public place. Just common sense!

Children should remain within an arms reach of adults at all time. Use extreme caution when bringing children to a dog park. Many dogs at the park have not been exposed to kids and even the best behaved child is unpredictable.

Use extreme caution when taking small dogs because ‘predatory drift’ can occur. Predatory Drift is when a dog’s prey drive kicks in an instant. It is often triggered by high pitched squeals, or small dogs running. It can be fatal to the dog who is attacked. In a dog park setting, other dogs may join in.

Do not assume that everyone else knows what they are doing! Dog ownership, like everything else, has its share of clueless people. I always hear lots of really bad training advice passed on at dog parks. Dog parks are a great place to practice selective hearing, (just like most of the dogs).

If your dog is getting to wild try ‘Time Outs’ and help him regroup. Try Leashing your dog and escorting him away from the group. If you have learned calming commands like “Settle,” this would be the time to use them. Once your dog relaxes, reward him with more playtime. If he remains agitated, call it a day.

Properly socializing a dog does not mean allowing your dog to run wild, as some individuals mistakenly believe. Socialization takes place when our dogs interact with other dogs in a safe, supervised environment. It occurs when our dogs have positive experiences with other dogs. And socialization takes place in a group training class where they learn to work and pay attention under your guidance. With proper socialization our dogs develop self control and bite inhibition. It is important for dog owners to learn how to read dogs’ body language on the road to helping their own dog become confident. Dog owners should exercise their dogs like they drive their cars—using common sense and acting defensively.

Portions of this article previously printed in the Casco Bay Weekly. Used with permission
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10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6th, Quarry Run Dog Park, Ocean Ave., Portland

Celebrate the new Quarry Run Dog Park at Poochfest, while helping raise much needed funds for improvements to our park. There'll be raffles, a photo contest, games and other contests, a "flea" market, agility, training and flyball demonstrations.


All proceeds go to the maintenance and improvement of the dog park.

I have donated a certificate good for a 6 week group training class to the raffle, and I will be on hand early in the event for two talks.

I will be explaining the The AKC Good Citizen Test, and giving owners tips to succeed in training for it, and the second talk is on 'Reading your dogs body language and using common sense at the dog park'. Due to prior commitment I will not be on hand all day, and my talks are scheduled in the morning.

There will be plenty to see and do. Consider leaving your dog (and kids!) home, especially if they have never been to the park before. The events will be taking place in the small dog field, but the rest of the park will be open for romping dogs.

Sadie six months old today

This past spring, I blogged Sadie's first off leash walk at Evergreen. Today I had the honor of returning to Evergreen with Sadie and it just so happened, that it was her 6 month birthday.

I was contacted by Sadie's owner BEFORE she got the puppy. The amount of puppy training information available to people today can be overwhelming and choosing how to begin your pups early training has lasting consequences for your puppy and your family. Helping them even before they got the puppy has worked out really well and Sadie is a well loved and well adjusted puppy and a joy to be around. She has had several privates, graduated from a basic manners class and in the fall she will take my AKC Canine Good Citizen class, and I have no doubt she will pass with flying colors.

Often times I get calls from puppy owners who are totally confused because they are getting conflicting advice from trainers, Vets and most of all, well meaning friends. If you are using methods that are not working for you, if you have concerns that the methods you are using are too physical (then they probably are!), or if you have behavior problems that are not getting better, then what are you waiting for? Seek help from a positive reinforcement trainer. There is a saying among trainers....if you allow your dog to practice unwanted behaviors, they will get really good at them!

Dogs like Sadie encompass everything I love about training. She has a great home, with people who realized well in advance that is better to do things right from the start then try to fix problems later on. They researched breeds and breeders and got a great puppy that was well suited and well matched for their family.

Plus-how cute is she!

If you are looking for a puppy training book, buy Urban Puppy. It reads very much like the What to Expect When Your Expecting books for new parents. I LOVE IT!

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I know you all have comments about this story!

Here we have the story of a couple expecting their first baby. They were concerned about how their 2 1/2 year old terrier mix would react towards the baby, so they brought the dog to a shelter.
Allegedly the dog lunged at a Vet tech and was put down immediately. The couple is now suing the shelter claiming that the stress of loosing their dog has caused incredible guilt, which in turn is ruining their marriage and making them resentful of the baby.

SAY WHAT?

Let's back up and review dog ownership 101.

If you get a dog, you should train your dog, to include child and baby proofing, even if you do not have kids.
Like I mentioned in the previous blog on aggression, your dog is your problem, and you have the best chance of helping YOUR DOG!
When you relinquish a dog to a shelter, you do just that, you give all rights of ownership. This dog was no longer theirs and obviously the shelter did not think they could safely place this dog.
Also as mentioned in the earlier blog, shelters are stressful environments for pets, and behavior problems are often magnified.
Lastly keep in mind that many people use shelters and rescues to "dump" dangerous dogs, instead of taking the high road and having their own dog put to sleep.
Taking the dog to a shelter was not their only option, and if they had issues that they were not willing to work with, then they should have tried to place the dog themselves in an adult home.
Obviously the terrier had issues or they would not have given up the dog in the first place.

Last week I was contacted by a woman who lived well out my travel zone and regrettably I was not able to physically help her. She had two rescue dogs, and both were experiencing escalating aggression issues towards people.

First-I strongly suggested that she contact her Vet and have a complete work up done to include a complete Thyroid panel. Often times aggression is caused by a physical cause. Escalating or sudden aggression can be caused by pain and discomfort, low Thyroid, loss of hearing, arthritis, or the onset of Lyme disease to name a few.

Be sure to rule out any physical cause before taking the next step.

Second-I suggested she ask her Vet for the name of a trainer near her, or consult the Association of Pet Dog Trainers and search the trainer list for a trainer in her area. For less than the price she would have had to pay me after I factored in travel time, I suggested she take one of the dogs to either Tufts in Grafton Ma, or the Angell Memorial in Boston to see a board certified behaviorist.

Third-I sent her the link to the AGBEH group on Yahoo.

AGBEH-or aggressive behavior is made up of about 2,000 pet owners and 330 trainers from around the world (including yours truly). Owners write in describing their dog's aggressive displays and trainers write back with step by step positive reinforcement suggestions. AGBEH is run by veteran behavior counselor Barbara Brill from New York, like an on line classroom. She runs a tight ship and her group is strictly moderated. Barbara is a former educator, and her posts are always thoughtful, and informative and as list owner she is responsible for keeping the integrity of the group at the highest standard. I am a better trainer for having been a member of AGBEH these past four years.

If you join-take a few days and read other people’s posts to get a feel for the group. Adhere to the groups strict guidelines or your posts will not go through. Try doing a search with the key words for your dog problems, chances are we have covered it before.
The files section is not to be missed and it is filled with suggestions from trainers, well written articles, saved posts of note, and a wonderful suggested reading and video list.

Fourth-Please be aware that YOUR dog's aggression can NEVER be passed on, either to a new home or rescue organization, and especially not to a shelter. Dogs with aggression issues are like time bombs in shelters. If YOU are having a problem, YOU have the best chance of solving it. Shelters are very stressful places for dogs, and the chance the problem you are seeing at home will magnify in another home is very real. There is almost never “the magic home” to come along and take YOUR problem dog. Trainers as a general rule do not go out looking for project dogs with the potential to harm.

Keep in mind that the stress of re homing a dog will often magnify your dogs problem, and if you do choose to re home, it is your moral obligation to be completely honest. Sometimes euthanasia is the most humane option. I do believe that most behavior problems can be solved, but you must ask yourself at what cost.

Fifth-Sometimes I recommend that people living with aggressive dogs board them for at least a week so they can see what a "normal" life is like when they are not always worrying that their dog will inflict harm. Trainers have a saying that management always fails. If you have an aggressive dog that has hurt a person or another animal and you think that putting him the basement is the answer, think again. It is Murphy's law that the dog will get out. You need management and training.
note-be sure to tell the kennel your issues when booking.

Last but not least-Always tell the truth. Glossing over incidents will not help you or your dog.

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Ever wonder what inspires people? There is a web site devoted solely
to neutered dog Haiku's.

Click here for plenty more if you don't mind explicit text, and squirm worthy subject matter.

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