Sled Dogs?

What a beautiful sight!

Not just kids sledding, families playing, and dogs running; it's the combination of them all together that warms my heart.

Some time in recent years there became these things called "dog parks" - not so much because people loved dogs, saw how much their presence benefits families and communities, and cared what's best for them and their owners, but rather because there was an increasing fracture between dog-owning families and non-dog-owners. Whereas most every park used to be dog-friendly, now it's the exception rather than the rule; so dog-owners had no choice but to fight for open communal space that we're still welcome in.

Racey the Lurcher

Over the ten years I lived in Cambridge, MA, I witnessed this gradual change firsthand, from inside the battle lines. One block away from the apartment where I lived with my Lurcher "Racey" (a descendent of the Greyhound) was Dana Park, a favorite family park that was also a favorite dog park for locals from all over. A separated, fenced-in playground for kids with swings, a see-saw, and other fun playground equipment in no way interfered with the big grassy expanse being the favorite meeting place for dogs and dog-owners every evening around 6:00 pm. It was just known, show up when the sun sets and sit and talk with your old friends and make new ones while our dogs all romp together. However, at some point a local curmudgeon petitioned Cambridge city planning to outlaw offleash dogs in Dana Park. The dog-owners signed opposing petitions to keep the park dog-friendly, our main argument - and source of indignant outrage - being that the park was originally funded and donated to the city by a dog-lover, specifically intended as an offleash playspace for dogs! In the dog-friendly, non-litigious era during which the park was opened, the benefactor did not feel the need to specify his wishes. It was terribly sad and frustrating to see those wishes, and so many current ones, discarded so carelessly on one grouchy neighbor's whim.

And the closing of Dana Park to dogs had a ripple effect. Dog-owners were forced to converge instead on Fort Washington, a great historic fort and dog park a bit closer to the river. Not a big deal in itself, at least for committed dog walkers like me willing to tromp an extra mile for the well-being of our canines. But the new onslaught of dogs at Fort Washington caused defenders of the historic nature of the fort to start a petition of their own. And so the battle continues, with dog-owners and dogs losing more and more of their rights and privileges.

And the problem doesn't stay contained in the frustration of the dog-owners. Because every dog that isn't well-exercised is certain to exhibit more and more behavior problems, which will cause other problems of their own - as well as engendering only more anti-dog sentiment. And so the cycle will continue.

And of course the problem isn't restricted to Beantown. Here in Park Slope I've watched Prospect Park cut the number of offleash dog-hours drastically, in the past five years, as well as the number of locations in the park that dogs can run offleash during those limited hours.

All of which should give some clue why I'm so happy to see families, kids, and dogs playing together in the same park. Hillside Park is a wonderful dog park in Dumbo, Brooklyn, but it shouldn't just be called a dog park. It's a park, after all! Only one of the few remaining that is dog-friendly 'round the clock. No dog owners ever get upset at families or children coming and playing or saying hi to the pups. Let's take a lesson from them.

Can't we all just get along?

Um, that's not alien skin is it?

Yes I watched to much "V" as a child. (You didn't think that was an original show did you?)

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It started Christmas day. Jenny wasn't holding her tail up like normal. Now when a curly tailed breed starts holding their tail down it's usually a big sign something is not right. She also kept looking at her hind end. Or so I thought. The logical conclusion was that her anal glands needed to be expressed. So I did that. Several times over the next 2 days that the vets office was closed. Then I took her to work my first day back and had the Dr. express them since I wasn't confident of my ability. (It is a recently acquired skill for me.) She started holding her tail up again so I thought the problem was resolved. I did notice that her tail was sore when I stroked her the other day but it looked normal so I just figured it was still about her anal glands because she was improving. I just told the kids not to touch her tail.

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Cut to earlier this evening when she was laying on me and I got a good look at her tail. This is what I saw.

OK what the heck is that!? It's not the best photo. Trust me it looks gross. Of course with all her skin issues the first thing I thought was a new wonderful infection of some kind. So I took her in to get checked. It turns out it's not an infection but probably the result of a crushing injury. The Dr. had to shave part of her tail to get a better look so now it looks like this.

Fashionable no? I know she got stepped on recently and yelped but I thought it was her paw. (being food motivated she is sometimes underfoot in the kitchen while dinner is cooking) Maybe it was her tail instead or maybe I missed something while I was at work and she was home with the family. She does play rough with Jack sometimes too.

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The good news is that it looks like it is healing. The bad news is that it might get worse and the skin could slough off. If that happens she might need to be bandaged or wear a cone. She will not be impressed with that! I picked up something for the pain as it is very uncomfortable if touched. I think that's why she keeps looking at it. Worst case scenario, if it doesn't heal and lots of tissue comes off, it would need to be amputated. I can't imagine it will get that bad but I'll keep you posted. (I am slightly superstitious and believe if I talk about the bad stuff it won't happen. That's why I leave "Instructions for the dogs in case my plane crashes or car wrecks." every time we travel. Yeah I am that person.)

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Ahh life with dogs. It's always something!

I hate hackers!

OK so if anyone has had issues getting in touch with me please try again. While I was deleting ALL my address book contacts (in efforts to foil those stupid hackers sending out spam under my name) I also accidentally deleted everything in my spam folder before checking the e-mails. I am not trying to ignore anyone! And if you got a spam e-mail from me I am sorry. I am running virus checks left and right in hopes I can catch this before any more go out. Ahhh the joy of living in the technological age!

This is Jenny snubbing her nose at said hackers.

Bleeeezard!

It's snowy - yucky, rainy, cold...stay inside, keep pooch snuggled on the bed, right? No! Get out there in the elements! (Yes, that's my pooch Monkey the greyhound in the lower right-hand corner dwarfed by that mound of snow.)

Park Slope, Brooklyn

Most importantly, pooch needs it. A little rain, snow, or cold weather doesn't stop you from needing to go to the gym, does it? (Though you might wish it did.) Neither did it stop wolves from needing to track and hunt 30,000 years ago (in fact inclimate weather historically increased calorie loss and hence need to find sustenance); and it doesn't stop them from needing the exercise, stimulation, and physical and mental release nowadays in the big city any more than it did back then.

Aren't our little babies cold, though? That's what coats are for! But remember, your pooch is already wearing a full-length leather coat, and on top of that a fur coat! Different breeds, of course, need different levels of protection from the elements: my greyhounds, for instance, are among the worst-dressed winter dogs, with their short hair, paper-thin skin, and not an ounce of fat to burn. So we bundle up most times when we wander. But dogs don't feel cold in the way we humans do, so don't worry if you're just running out for a bit and can't find her coat; again, she's already wearing a very nice one.

In fact, the main reason I use coats is to temper and control the dogs' energy. I've found that they tend to get hyper, spinning and running around, when they feel the cold (excitement and joy, yes, but probably also a natural reaction to try and keep the body temperature up). I make sure to give them exercise - on long hikes, and running and playing at the dog park - but keeping them calm at other times is first of all a safety issue when they're offleash (they're not going to tear off into the streeet), and also keeps interactions with other dogs and humans on a nice, calm, peaceful note. Calm energy, happy submission and obedience, rewarded by play and socialization - that's the formula!

What about their little tender paws, in the snow, ice, and salt? Most can handle it just fine, for short periods of time: just like his leather coat, your dog is already wearing leather boots. But care is required: clean off ice-balls regularly, and when you get back home. Salt is very bad for paws but not as big a deal as some owners make it out to be. I don't find booties necessary for my dogs, though they may be for some; all I do is when I see them limping from having stepped on a rocks of salt that sticks to their pads, I lift their paw up and wipe it. They're good to go immediately! What you want to look out for is leaving salt for more than a couple minutes on the pad; it can actually eat away the pad and skin and cause a wound that can lead to infection. But you don't have to worry about this happening in just a block or two. Again, clean with a wet towel and dry off after you get home.

Leash 'em up, and let it snow!

How to get your dogs attention

Here is a long overdue training post on what I consider the beginning of focus work.

Getting your dogs attention is the first step in building your foundation to having a really reliable recall and for focus work later if needed. To accomplish this the first thing I do is teach the dog that its' name is valuable. When I say the dogs name "Fido" and they look at me I praise them verbally. "Good dog!" A happy tone of voice is important for verbal praise. Otherwise it has no meaning to the dog. If the dog comes over to me I will also add physical praise like petting and stroking if they like it. Note: not all dogs like to be handled, some are touch sensitive. Skip petting for a touch sensitive dog. Do not pet your dog on the top of it's head. Most dogs dislike this form of petting. (Watch your dog closely when you do this, do they pull away or duck? If so they are trying to avoid it.) I will also have a happy facial expression whenever I praise a dog. Remember body language is our dogs first language so they learn to read our body and facial expressions very quickly. If they come over I might also add play and/or a food reward. Our goal is to build a positive association to their name and our contact with them.
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A review about using praise ~ The 5 most commons ways we can praise our dogs are:
1) verbally - in a happy tone
2) physically - if they like being touched
3) by smiling - communication in language they understand
4) engaging in play - fetch, tug, games they enjoy
and
5) using food rewards - high value treats
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Because we can't call a dog to us unless they are paying attention we need to teach the attention first. We cannot guarantee we have that attention unless they are physically looking at us. Even then remember that we are competing with things we don't smell or hear so we may not have 100% of their attention, especially if we are outside. If they are sniffing something or looking at something else they are not trying to ignore you. Most times they are just focused on what has their attention and they don't hear us. Saying the dogs name and rewarding them for looking at us is the start of building great focus.
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The next step is teaching the dog what the word "come" actually means to us. Now because I want "come" to always mean come to me and sit I teach it that way. If you want the dog to just come closer use a different word. Example: I use "let's go" to mean come along with me. One of the most important things to remember when using the word/cue "come" is to never use it for anything the dog considers a negative reason. For instance if they hate getting a bath and you call them to you and then stick them in the tub you will poison that cue. They will pause the next time you call them because you've used it with a negative association to them. For this reason I also use a completely different word for let's go back into the house or playtime is over. (sidenote tip: to get dogs to want to come back into the house or car toss some well loved treats and/or a favorite toy on the floor as you go out so as soon as the dog walks back into the house or car they get magically rewarded.)
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You can teach your recall in a few ways, this is just one of them. I tend to begin with lure reward training especially if the dog hasn't learned his name means anything. Put the treat in front of the dogs nose and back away from them a few steps pulling the treat in front of your legs so they target their nose on it. AS they are coming towards you say the cue word "come". The reason you say the word as they are doing it is to pair the word with the action for the dog. Don't repeat your cue. When the dog gets to the treat simply raise it slightly back over the dogs head so they sit. You can also say the word sit AS they are sitting. Say "yes", your verbal marker (or click) and give the treat after they sit. My hand action pulling the treat towards me, and pulling the treat up, also become hand signals later for the commands. (Lure reward training is also excellent to use with deaf dogs. Use a thumbs up signal for your reward marker signal.)
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If you teach your dog its' name has meaning you will notice the dog starts coming to you before you say the actual cue word "come". It can become it's own pre-recall command so make sure you separate the name from the come command with a few seconds. Otherwise "Fido come" becomes the command which isn't the goal because then when you say the word "come" alone they may not understand what you want. "Fido" should mean look at me so you can pair it with other things later, not just for the recall. Whenever my dogs come to me I always reward them in some way. EVERY time. This keeps the recall worthwhile to them. Remember that dogs are very much "What's in it for me" creatures. Rewarding them also establishes that coming to me gets them good things and therefore makes the recall a positive association. Most people have problems getting a dog to come when called because they try calling them when the dog is engaged in a more fun behavior. If we make the recall more fun than everything else that problem will resolve.
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Now I know some clicker trainers prefer to get the dog doing a behavior reliably before they name it for the dog. This is also ok as long as everyone understands what they need to do to make that work. I find some people have a hard time not speaking to their dogs so I think this way accommodates that issue. There are some things I also teach before naming and putting on a cue, this just isn't one of them. (for me)
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Trouble shooting: If your dog doesn't look at you when you say its name add sound. Clap your hands or make kissing noises. Say the name happily when they do finally look. Shake a toy when they look. Make them want to come to you. Whatever you do do NOT get annoyed and yell at them. Remember we are making positive associations. Practice inside first where there are fewer distractions. When moving your recall practice outside the house start out closer to the dog to be sure you can get their attention. Increase your distance over time. Do NOT say come until the dog is looking at you and on its way towards you. Make sure you remember to have them sit when they get to you. Don't repeat your cue "come" but you can make other noises to encourage forward movement. Keep practice sessions short so they stay fun.
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Happy training!
Marie Finnegan

Happy Holidays!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday whichever one you celebrate.

And batten down the hatches for all those on the east coast. They say a storms a comin!

How To Pick A Trainer

I am currently writing a few "Ask The Trainer" articles for New York Tails Magazine, one of which answers the question:

"There are so many trainers out there, I am overwhelmed with choices. Can you give me some tips on things I should look for in a trainer?"

It's a common and hugely important question, so I thought I'd post my response here. Without further ado, then...


Not only are there a million trainers out there, there are also a million-and-one different training beliefs, training styles, and training methods. Furthermore, in addition to being an under-funded, under-reasearched, and overly-contested field, dog training is constantly developing and changing, so often there is more than one right way to skin the...er, dog.  Here, though, is my list of the top four criteria to take into consideration when looking for an excellent, effective, positive trainer.

1. Education. I don't mean the trainer has to have a Ph.D., or to have a zillion different unintelligible letters after his name. Often, in fact, great learners aren't the best teachers; and there is a vast gap between studying and real-world application. However, first of all from a purely practical and factual standpoint, there are lots of medical, biological, and psychological facts that a good dog trainer should know - whether he gets them from traditional university courses, from studying under established trainers, from previous work in related fields, or someplace else. 

Ultimately, I am dubious about the investment, enthusiasm, and commitment of a trainer who hasn't studied dog behavior to some significant extent. After all, I got into dog training for the same reason I started studying it - because I love dogs, and I can't get enough of them or learn enough about them!   

2. Experience. Study all you want, have as much innate dog-sense as you want; still there's no match for experience, for having seen as many different dogs as possible in as many different situations as possible. This doesn't necessarily mean choose the trainer who has been in business for the longest. Many trainers only teach restricted types of obedience classes, or haven't tried a new method in ten years; while one who just started her own business may have worked for years in a veterinary office, doggie-daycare, grooming salon, or simply grown up around dogs while her parents ran a breeding business or pet store. 

Although specialized knowledge is sometimes a plus - e.g. with a veterinary behaviorist or a breed specialist - often a wide range of experience translates into better ability to adapt to your specific situation and provide for you what you need. Every case is unique in a million ways, making training closer to an art form than a science (given the basic education as an equal starting starting point). And the more paints a trainer has, the more likely it is that he'll be able to patch up your particular canvas.

3. Openness. By this I mean a number of things, starting from your first interaction and continuing far after your training sessions are over. First of all, a website, brochure, or affiliate business should be able to tell you lots about the trainer - like his or her philosophy, methods, education, experience, and so on. When you then contact the trainer, he should be responsive by phone, email, or in conversation, willing to answer all of the questions you should rightfully ask. Before and during the training, then, the trainer should be as clear about the methods, theory, and technique of what he is doing as you want him to  be (and probably even moreso, since I believe that educating the owners is generally far more effective than having a third party train their dog). 

If you ever feel dubious or uncomfortable about something the trainer suggests or is doing, furthermore, you should feel welcome to express your concerns and you deserve a full explanation if not a recommendation of alternative methods. And finally, a trainer who genuinely cares about every dog he works with should be available for followup questions or updates by email or phone for months, or even years, after your training is finished. Dog training is not a magic bullet and cannot happen in an instant, and a trainer who is honest will tell you this and should have a plan in place to provide you continuous help over the long-term.

4. A holistic approach. By this I mean that the trainer approaches your situation and his solutions from a number of simultaneous angles. Beware any trainer who first of all doesn't look at the whole picture - e.g. by asking you questions about your dog's history, your own history with dogs, the specifics of your dog's particular problems, incidents, any methods you've tried, how they've worked or how they haven't, and so on. Also the trainer should be testing your dog's temperament and behavior in a variety of ways himself, not just taking your word on the issue (after all, he's supposed to be the expert and should often see behavior signs that non-experts aren't trained to notice). 

In the same vein, beware any trainer who blindly follows a single, simple method for treating your problem, not to mention one who follows that same method for every problem. Be suspicious of anyone who goes immediately for a technological product - e.g. Bitter Apple, a Gentle Leader, a citronella collar, or especially something controversial like a shock collar. All of these tools have their place, and can help many cases if used properly; but only as part of an overall training or behavior therapy plan that also must contain many other elements. First of all, no artificial product - no "thing" - will by itself train a dog to be a good, calm, obedient, happy family member. Dog training is a branch of psychology, and results come from understanding, empathy, intelligence, and emotional control, not from any battery-powered device or bottled product. Second of all, no problem arises or exists in a vacuum: so in order to combat any particular problem, you must work on all areas of the dog's life at once. If your dog is a bad leash-walker, he'll probably benefit from a stricter feeding ritual; if he has separation anxiety he'll probably benefit from off-leash socialization; if he has leash-aggression he'll probably benefit from obedience class; and so on. A good trainer should show you how to have an entire healthy and balanced relationship between you and your dog.

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There are the four top criteria I recommend keeping in mind when searching for a good dog trainer. I want to finish by explaining an important difference between obedience training and behavior therapy (aka rehabilitation, manners training). Obedience training means teaching your dog to listen to commands - like "Sit", "Come", "Drop it", and "Stay". Behavior therapy means easing your dog's psychologically- or emotionally-based behavior problems - like aggression, anxiety, or hyperactivity. Often, being a good trainer in the one area doesn't necessarily translate to being a good trainer in the other area, so know which one you want to be working on. Often, in my experience, people think they're looking for obedience training when in fact what they need is a good behavior therapist, someone who rehabilitates dogs with problem pasts and makes them well-balanced, social, and happy. Although obedient dogs are often better-balanced than disobedient dogs, it is still entirely possible to have an "obedient" dog - i.e. one who graduates the obedience class with flying colors - and yet who is all over the place with his behavior when not presently being told to sit or give paw.

I suppose I should have also included "Likability" in the list, since first of all dogs know and immediately sense a person's true nature - and second of all you yourself are going to be spending a fair amount of time interacting with the person you choose. But we all know already that we should let our dogs pick who we hang out with, right? :)

Ugly Or Cute?

What is it about bulldogs? I can always count on them to make me laugh. But I'm not laughing at them, I swear - I'm laughing with them! Or at least, I have to be laughing with whomever or whatever humorous force created them.

Here are a few bulldogs I've worked with recently:

May-Elizabeth
(The fancy queen!)

May-Elizabeth is a super-sweetie, will lick your face off but is nervous at first and often avoids big groups of dogs. When you approach her because you just want to squeeze her up into a little butterball, she starts wiggling and scriggling in anticipation - without moving any closer to you - while you're still at least 20 feet away.

Beula
(Old girl!)

Beula has two metal spikes, one in each back leg! Basically her back knees are fused straight by operations, so she has some trouble getting around. That doesn't stop her charging at the hose though! She snorts and snuffles in her old age, bulldog-willing to get that hose, no matter how exhausted she is! Yeah, her tongue is kinda stuck that way. 

Gilda
(Ridiculous, right?)

Gilda is a recent graduate from Calm Energy Obedience Class out of Cheeky Dog Daycare in Dumbo, Brooklyn. She's still a pup and has that mixture of bulldog-exhaustion with puppy energy. She wins for most squishy face I've ever seen or felt, to date.

Gilda again (why not?)

Bulldogs are some of the most loyal, loving, and hilarious dogs on the planet. But the colloquial meaning of "bulldog"- as in "My boss is a bulldog; he just won't take no for an answer!" - doesn't come from nowhere! They were originally bred for jaws that could latch on to an intimidating predator - such as a bull - and just not ease up, never letting go. In my experience, bulldogs are just as stubborn in other areas of life, with other dogs as well as with their owners, and they need firm, calm, consistent leadership with rules and boundaries regularly enforced or their willfulness will simply take over your life.

I first got to know the nature of bulldogs in the doggie daycare where I once worked. There were several gates that the dog-handlers would have to open and close to let various dogs in and out of various spaces, according to their size, temperament, and which were being picked up or dropped off; and it was always a bit of a circus-act trying to get the desired dog or two out of the pack of twenty or thirty through the gates without letting any of the others through (and wherever you are, and whatever gate you happen to be opening, be sure the dogs think it's the greatest place in the world to be and the most desirable gate to go through ever opened). But the bulldogs were particularly tricky. I remember the first time I opened the gate and three of the bulldogs were sitting too close, blocking the entry, so I pushed one of them back with my knee - Cosmo was his name. Not a smart move! Though Cosmo had been sitting peacefully just watching moments before, along with the others, that message to "back up" was all Cosmo needed to decide that forward was undoubtedly the direction he wanted to go! He shoved and garumphed, and made the whole process much more difficult; especially since the other dogs of course decided Cosmo must know something they didn't, and that there must be something really delicious and desirable on the other side of the gate and they had to try to get it before Cosmo did.

That's my experience with bulldogs, as cliche'd as it is:  you tell them what to do, and that makes them suddenly want to do the exact opposite. And when you try to get them to STOP doing what they then have made up their mind to do...best of luck!

A little bit like teenagers, perhaps? (Only cuter?)

An itchy dog update

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. I've been under the weather but still as busy as ever. To get a bit of a break the one thing I try to do when over committed is to keep the online stuff to a minimum.

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Jenny's skin is looking a bit better at the moment. (The photo above hides her patchiness.) She just finished some antibiotics for a secondary infection though. I've noticed she seems to be changing color in places now too. Where she used to be all pink parts of her are now turning grey. She is also on a new medication that is supposed to help with the itching. (Cyclosporine which is the generic version of Atopica) I've gotten her off the steriods but am not 100% satisfied with the new meds. If she is still itchy and I need to break out the benedryl what is the point of the Cyclosporine? We are supposed to be at the point of weaning to a smaller dose of it bi-weekly but she is still to itchy. Gahh!

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I just picked up some different anti itch shampoo to also try to see if it helps. If I don't see a difference soon I have another medication to try that was recommended by another pug person with similar issues. (Thank you Terry!) Jenny's doctors wanted to try the Atopica first.

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I tried to do what I could using natural remedies and even went to a full raw diet for her for quite awhile. Unfortunately her triggers seem to be more environmental than food related and without a noticeable pattern. I gave up on the raw more because I just couldn't sustain it properly with my schedule a.k.a. life. I worry about getting is just right and put a lot of work into the prep. Using a commercial raw diet would be great except they all contain liver which is one of the few food things she tested as allergic to. Once I feel 100% again I might try some honest kitchen dehydrated with the raw venison.

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I haven't blogged about it much because I worry about people judging me. I know I shouldn't care about it but I do. Yes I believe in raw diets and yes I believe in (some) natural remedies and I know how not using them looks. I just want my dog to be comfortable. I believe I need to do what I can to provide relief so her quality of life is good. Constant itching is torturous! I am conflicted about everything lately. I am trying to do what is best for her while keeping in mind the long term effects of the treatments I choose as well. No matter what I do there is something to feel guilty about. The most aggravating part? Her itching spells come and go. So there are times no matter what she is on that she itches herself raw and other times she is almost off everything and she is fine. Or she isn't itchy at all but her coat gets all patchy looking. The flare ups are unpredictable and drive me (us!) insane.

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If living in a bubble was a possibility for a dog I might consider it. ~sigh~

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(And yes we have done multiple skin scrapings. The next step might need to be a skin biopsy.)

Fun with the microscope ~ Heebee jeebee alert!

Turns out you can take pics with a digital camera through a microscope lens. Check out the dog louse. This creepy crawlie came in on a new families puppy recently.

The yellowish dot on the slide below is what it looks like actual size. They are slightly larger than a flea.

This is scabies, also known as sarcoptic mange mites. Not visible with the naked eye.

And urine crystals. With some bacteria and red blood cells thrown in for fun.

I also get to look at fecal samples but haven't taken a photo of that yet. I'm sure there will be some interesting parasites to show eventually.

The Eyes Have It!

The picture below is of my two greyhounds trying to sniff out just what the deal is with that oddly stiff dark-haired guy who won't meet our gaze, pretends not to hear or notice us, and frankly smells a little weird. (Well, he doesn't smell like very much of anything at all; but that's what's weird!)

"Yo, dude. You alright? You look a little tense."

The statue, named "Rover", has stood (or lain, I suppose) outside of Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. The story goes that a man who made frequent visits to the hospital would leave his dog waiting outside while he received his treatments. One day the man died during his treatment, and in the following days no matter how the staff tried to convince the dog, he wouldn't budge. Rover loyally and patiently waited in front of the hospital for his master to emerge, allegedly through the cold and the rain, through several seasons, until he, too, eventually died, never having given up.

It's a poignant story, beautifully encapsulating the superhumanly egoless devotion that has earned the canine the title "man's best friend". But I wanted to point out something about the picture that's a little less on the inspirational side:  the greyhounds can tell it isn't a brother of theirs only after getting right up close enough to give it a good long sniff - and even then they remain a bit wary. The reason is that they are sighthounds - dogs bred for keen vision, the ability to see long distances, discriminate fine visual details, and notice the slightest and tiniest movement in their visual field. Their noses are still 100x better than yours and mine (thus they can, unlike us, tell the thing is metal by smelling it up close; I'd like to see you try that blindfolded!); but compared to other breeds of dog they are more human-like in being visually focused.

My last dog - Racer, a lurcher, also a sighthound and an English descendent of the greyhound - was similarly visually-oriented, to the point that I once saw him charge full speed toward a fire hydrant at dusk, obviously thinking it looked like a crouching cat in the dim light. He obviously expected it to skedaddle, but when it didn't budge he had to veer off at the very last moment to avoid a serious collision.  (And don't think goofy uncoordinated mistakes like collisions are out of the question for purebred athletic dogs: Racer knocked himself unconscious twice running full-speed at twilight into a fence-post. Hmm, this isn't painting a picture of me as the most responsible dog owner...)

Another one of my rescues, a chow/lab mix, was exactly the opposite: in the prime of her health, with what counted for her as perfect vision, you could yell to her from twenty yards down the sidewalk and she'd gaze around blankly. Only after trotting up to you and sniffing, would she wag knowing it was you. She eventually went blind and spent the last three years of her life sightless, but it was far less sad to me (and less debilitating to her) than a lurcher or other sighthound who goes blind.

All of this is important to realize when training or dealing with dogs of various breeds. Different breeds don't only have different typical temperaments, they have different abilities, mindsets, outlooks on the world, and sensory strengths and weaknesses. When training a sighthound, visual communication is key; for instance in the form of body language and eye contact. For an olfactorily-centered breed - like a bloodhound, basset hound, beagle (so many "B"-hounds! What's the deal with that, Elaine?), or even a dalmation - smell, touch, sound, and energy become more important.

Dogs might all be created equal, but they aren't all the same.

Howl-o-ween!

My Jack-Russell-o-Lantern!

I had no idea this would come out so good!  It's only downhill from here, I'll have to think of something different next year.

Not sure which face is sillier.

Hi!

Welcome!

In this blog I'll be posting thoughts, experiences, questions, and hopefully even a few answers, from my daily explorations in the great world of dog psychology and training. Just like dogs themselves, the posts that follow will likely range from the sublime to the ridiculous - and all grades in-between!

Cesar Millan believes that every dog we come into contact with comes into our lives for a reason, and I know the lessons I learn from dogs are as unrelenting and life-changing as any that I am ever able to teach to them. I hope in this blog to at least serve as a passable conduit through which canine-kind is able to spread few pearls of wisdom to that species most in need of enlightenment - we humans.

Enjoy!

For more about me and my work visit CalmEnergyDogTraining.com.

Let's face it, I got no nose!

I'm not the lone voice after all. Check out the fabulous post from Pedigree dogs exposed:

Pedigree Dogs Exposed - The Blog: Pugs. Let's face it.

I'm glad to see someone else has figured it out! Is it me or does one of those German pugs look like our Jenny?

Let's play a guessing game

And now for something much nicer than the last post. It facinates me how puppies of many breeds of dogs all look pretty much the same when they are first born. These girls are only one week old. They are a mix of two breeds and they weighed around 2.5 lbs each. Anyone wanna guess what they might be? (They are not the pug mix puppies of an earlier post.) My only hints which may or may not help you: Momma was mostly white and Daddy was brindle.

Just look at those tiny paws!

A photo that haunts me

The photo shown below was on a facebook friends page. He currently works with dogs in Vietnam. Since he shared this photo on his page and I cannot get it out of my head. It may be to disturbing for some viewers so don't say I didn't warn you.

This pup believe it or not is being treated for parvo. They are helping him. (or her) I am unsure why the vets there think this is an appropriate handing method for a 4 month old puppy. I'm also sure he'll be thrilled to go to a vet in the future. If this is help I'm afraid to see what they consider cruel or harsh. This photo makes my heart ache.

To logo or not to logo

So I've been thinking about changing my logo. I don't have my current logo on my site now, I use it on my vehicle instead. It is a silhouette of a standing akita I drew a long time ago. I was thinking about changing it because I found a design I love that includes all dogs. It would also be nice to brand myself more to make advertising easier. Having the same logo on my cards and car makes sense. My current cards have a photo of a bulldog on them.

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Some of you might remember the post about my tattoo. The drawing of it is shown above. I found the pawprint originally on another blog called Finnegan's Pawprint and tweaked it for the tattoo. The person that created it has this website: http://www.aon-celtic.com/

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I've tried to contact her repeatedly for permission to possibly use the pawprint as my business logo. I have had no luck. So this is a public appeal to see if it helps at all. (Cari Buziak if you're out there please e-mail me! CanineHelp@aol.com ) I'm not sure what the rules are governing such things. I don't want to use it without permission but if I get no respose to my requests where does that leave me?

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I thought the pawprint might translate well onto t-shirts and the like. I've never put much into advertising before because I haven't really needed to given my area. I just really like this symbol and would love to put it to use. It's getting near time to order more business cards.

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So I am putting this out there in hopes it helps. I'm not sure of the legalities of using it without permission, but I figure a public appeal will help should there be a problem down the road. I could be wrong but since I am small potatos (no tv deals in the works just yet VBG) I figure it isn't likely to ever be a real issue.

What do you think? Yea or nay? (You can also vote on my K-9 Solutions facebook page. Go to my profile photos and vote for version # 1 or #2. )

Stolen show dogs in CA, Please pass on!

ALERT!!! 4 show dogs were stolen today 11/30/10 including the one shown above from the parking lot of Motel 6 in Bellflower CA. 2 Akitas and 2 corgis.
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FMI: http://akitasdreamhi.com/StolenDogs.html
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Please pass this information on. I can't imagine the fear the poor owners are experiencing right now. Let's try to help get them all home safe.

A surprise visitor

Remember this sweet face? His name is Jack and he went though the K-9 Corrections program with his sister Patty back in the spring. He came for a surprise visit today.


He is almost all grown up. Check out how handsome he is now.

Here is another photo of him partway through the program.

And another of him now. He got a lot bigger than we expected he would. More photos and videos of him from today can be seen on our facebook page. Go take a peek. (Does anyone else think he looks like a borzoi in the face?)

I managed to keep his pending visit a secret from the handlers and let me tell you it was NOT easy. It was a great surprise and nice for them to see how well he turned out. He recognised his handler before Joe recognised him and wooed at him. It was so cute! It was a great day and I think everyone was very excited to see Jack again. I'm so glad he got such a great home and is doing so well. Score one for us!

You had me at woof

I know they say don't judge a book by its cover but..........

how could anyone resist this face? Must. Read. Now.

(Updated 11/20/10 Bought on my Kindle. Read in one sitting of about 3.5 hours. Made me laugh out loud and cry. Loved it. Just saying.)

NFL = Epic Fail

I read this article recently and it sparked a conversation on facebook when I shared the link. The frustrating part of it is that so many people seem to think because Michael Vick served time for the crimes he committed that it means we should move on and forget about it. We can't control what he is doing now and he has the right to make a living. Because he paid his debt to society. Yeah right. I cannot disagree more. He served time in jail yes. Paid his debt to society? I think not. When there are victims still left living with the memories of what he did to them the debt will never be repaid.
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I like the line in the article: "Cruelty to animals isn't something somebody does, it's something somebody is." This is exactly why dog lovers will always hate this man. Let's remember that he LAUGHED while he killed and tortured dogs. (by strangling, drowning and electrocutions) And not just 1 or 2 dogs either, as if that mattered, but repeatedly. He admitted it! I also think this of some other criminals as well. Do child molesters and rapists ever really pay their debt? They serve time and hopefully it is a punishment that makes them think twice about doing it again. But I doubt their victims would agree that anything has been paid. They live with that trauma forever. I have a problem with anyone who hurts defenseless people and animals. Would you trust someone who did that? What does that say about their character?
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Does he have the right to work? Sure, he can pump gas or flip burgers. Should he be allowed to become a role model for others playing football? I find that sickening. If anything he is an example of having enough money or talent means if you get caught doing something horrendous it won't impact your life very much. You can still become a super star and make oodles of money. Shame on the NFL for not having a morals clause. They have only proven that the all mighty dollar is the bottom line for them. People who are in the public eye SHOULD be held to a higher standard, at least in my world. Because they are watched and emulated whether they should be or not.
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Would I feel differently if he stood up and took responsibility for his actions? If he volunteered his free time at a local shelter to help out? (that was not court ordered) If he voluntarily pledged a percentage of his "earnings" to other former fighting dogs? Maybe. If it were done with sincerity I might consider it. I haven't seen any of that yet and I'm not holding my breath.
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The whole topic makes me angry and sad. Angry because it is an example of how unfair life can be. That a monster is worshiped by some merely for having talent at a sport. Sad because there are still thousands of fighting and bait dogs still out there living horrific lives daily. Put yourself in their shoes and just imagine that kind of life for a few minutes.
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Michael Vick is an example of how celebrity gets you a pass and how sorely lacking our society is when it comes to ethics.

Whoa momma!

Congrats to our friends at Weskeag Kennels and momma Cassi on her whelping 11 healthy puppers. (yes you read that right ELEVEN!) Now that is alot of puppy breath!

Wordless Wednesday ~ Rally Edition

Photo by John Woolley Photography.

Link share tuesday

Just a few links that are floating around facebook these days I thought I would share. First is an interview with Karen Delise. She wrote the fabulous book called "The pitbull placebo". Unfortunately some people still don't get that BSL simply doesn't work.

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The next is an article by Jean Donaldson asking "Are dogs really pack animals"?

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Then a look at the results of a study that looks at the questionable training techniques as seen on tv.

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And to finish on a happier note check out the story of how they made the amazing video "OK Go" by the White Knuckles.

Puppymill rescue

Looking for a pug? Consider rescue! Why? To put puppy millers out of business!

Green Mountain Pug Rescue took in the above 20 pugs recently. They were being sold by a puppymiller because they passed a law in that state to limit the number of dogs a "kennel" can have. Sadly they can still have up to 50 dogs. They sold 10 others to another "breeder". Fortunately this group was taken by rescue so they will all be altered and adopted into homes. Yes rescue did give money to the "breeder" in order to get the dog released to them. It is a tricky thing. Do you let them get sold to another breeder or step in and pay a fee to keep them out of a breeders hands? At least this way they get taken out of the cages they lived in to go in a real home and be normal dogs. Plus they aren't being bred over and over again to be used as a cash crop.

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How sad is it that there are people using dogs in that way to make money? The sadder part to me is that clearly people are still buying dogs from pet stores. How else can you explain why a breeder would have so many dogs for their "business"? If they weren't making money on the dogs they wouldn't have them. They only feed as many as they can support in order to make a profit after all. It's not rocket science people. If you buy from a pet store you are keeping this kind of person in business. You are contributing to dogs living in cages instead of cuddling on a couch and running on grass. Is that any kind of life for a dog? Don't do it. Adopt from rescue instead.
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Bravo to GMPR for stepping up to give these dogs a better life. For more photos and videos of the pugs and their rescue story check out their Facebook Page.

Semper Fidelis!

In honor of todays 235th United States Marine Corps birthday (and tomorrows celebration of Veteran's day) I share the following:

In case you can't read the text it says: Listed as missing for three days during front line action at Guam, Peppy, a Marine dog made his way back to camp and was treated for a bullet wound in his head. His handler's face is a study of emotion as he comforts his four-footed pal.
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There is a wonderful book with the title Always Faithful that is about the Marine Dogs of WW2 and talks more about dogs like the one above. For those that don't know Semper Fidelis is latin for Always Faithful and is the motto of the Marine Corps.
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And this is one of my favorite cartoons saved from my own time in.

Text: "He said I was the most intelligent girl he'd ever met, and that was the last I ever saw of him."

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I served as a jet mechanic on A4 Skyhawks in seatshop and was also a watchstander on Marine Security Guard duty at embassies overseas. May we never forget those that didn't get to come home from their tour of service in all branches of the service.

Some shaping fun

Quite awhile ago I mentioned how I wanted to teach Jenny a trick that had her filing down her own nails. Here is some video of one of our training sessions. This video ends when she got distracted by a treat that fell under the stove. There is sandpaper glued to the board and no it isn't bothering her paws. She is holding them so that she is scraping just the nails and not her paw pads.

I also now have a dremel I have been working on getting her used to. I'm finding the noise and vibration of it doesn't seem to phase her at all. It's the taking her paw in my hand that presents the problem. We will need to concentrate on that for a spell. The tricky part of that is I need to make sure she differentiates between a flat hand held vertically in front of her face means touch with her nose and the hand held flat horizontally to the floor means give me her paw. Any mix up means she will be slapping me in the ring for our stand exercise. This is just one example of why clarity in hand signals is important.

In other news we got our certificate in the mail today for our APDT Rally Level 1 title and our Award of Excellence. She is officially Prone's that's my girl RL1 AOE! Yay Jenny!

Making progress ~ pug health news

Remember a few posts back when I was complaining about the lack of health testing in pugs by pug breeders? Well check this out. There is now a test to see what pugs may be carriers of the gene that causes pug dog encephalitis. From the UCDavis website:

Approximately 1.2% of Pug dogs die of necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME), also known as Pug dog encephalitis (PDE). NME is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system that is usually progressive and fatal. Symptoms of NME include seizures, depression, ataxia, abnormal gait and blindness (1). Female, fawn-colored Pug Dogs younger than 7 years of age are more apt to develop NME than older, male and non-fawn colored individuals (2). Recent research has revealed that susceptibility to NME is associated with the dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) region of dog chromosome 12 (3). The association is at or near the region containing the DLA class II genes. Dogs that have two identical copies of the NME associated markers in this region, have an observed risk (OR) of 12.75 for NME in their lifetime over Pugs that have only one or no copies of these markers (OR 0-1.08).

Here is the original site:

http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/PDE.php

And here is the link to purchase a test kit.

http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/dog.php

Add this to the list of things that should be checked before breeding a pug. At least in the world according to me.

Alpha Rolling in Wolves and Dogs

Wanna see a real "alpha roll"?

And here is a video of an alpha roll between 2 dogs.



For a more in depth explanation of alpha rolling see this post. It's hard to believe that people are still using this method on their dogs in the name of training. It's bunk. Spread the word.
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(Hat tip to Retrieverman for sharing the wolf video.)

If you hike in the woods, please watch this

How to open a coyote leg hold trap.



Unfortunately dogs don't always stay on the safe parts of trails. Thank you Dr. Heather for the information. Hopefully you'll never need to use the info. Please pass this on so it can help others too.

Wordless Wednesday

Jack loves hunting season!

More APDT Rally fun

So Sunday Jenny and I went to another APDT Rally trial at Wag It in Lincolnville. I think we did pretty good. I entered 3 level 1 trials on the road to our rally level 1 excellent title. I figured this would give me extra practice at not getting nervous while I wait to go into the ring before we start trying for our level 2 title. It is only the 4th time we have done a Rally event if you count the AKC match. (I only enter one day of most two day events due to my work schedule and the prison training schedule.)

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In trial 1 Jenny was distracted and we scored a 197. Trial 2 wasn't much different and we scored a 198. Trial 3 was the last one of the day and I was pretty tired by then. I was to tired at that point for any nerves so maybe that is why we did better and scored a 206 to get a 3rd place ribbon. So that makes 3 qualifying scores towards the 10 we need. Yay for Jenny!

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I have identified a couple of problems however:

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One is that I think my hand signals must be slightly different in the ring than out of it. I say that because when I warm her up or practice she does the exercises with no hesitation. Yet those same exercises in the ring has her looking at me like she didn't understand the cue. Then we end up retrying the station. I guess I need to get more video both in and out of the ring to see if I can figure out exactly what it is I am doing differently.

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The other is that I am becoming to competitive! Not with any of the other teams but with myself. When I get a score I think could have been better I find that I am thinking to much about it. "We can do better than that!" This is supposed to just be fun for us. Something Jenny and I get to do together to show our skills and a chance to socialize with other dog lovers. It is weird because I don't really consider myself a competitive person. I guess the good thing is that it isn't directed at anyone else. I love watching others so I can cheer them on and learn stuff from their runs. And it is just plain entertaining to watch dogs have fun with their people. I also really love that in Rally everyone else is the same way. The camaraderie in the sport is fabulous! And to be honest it is probably part of what keeps me going back for more. It's not like I need to compete in shows after all.

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I need to stop focusing on high scores and be happy when we get a qualifying score. Period. I think maybe it is because I am a dog trainer. Maybe I'm holding myself to a high standard because I worry how it will look to others. "She's a dog trainer, her dog should get great scores." Which is silly because many of the exhibitors are also dog trainers and I don't think that about their scores at all. (so in theory they probably don't care about my scores either) I guess I need to work on that. But then again maybe it's a good thing. I mean striving to do better isn't all bad is it? (OK I just re-read what I wrote and think I am a greedy idiot. Those are pretty good scores!)

Here she is in between classes relaxing. She doesn't like being alone in the car so I try to give her many breaks and spend time with her frequently. For me part of showing is about spending time with your dog after all. I tried putting her into the soft crate thinking she would be warmer in the smaller space. I draped a blanket over the back of it to keep body heat in as well. When I came out to check her I found her stuck between the window I put it in front of (so she could see where I went) and the crate. Hmmm what's wrong with that picture? Luckily it looks fixable as she only pulled the door out of the zipper. Even if I have to sew that door shut it has a top loading door as well. Lesson learned: use metal fold up crates when leaving her unattended in the future.

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I think we will start practicing for level 2 more so we can enter level 1 and 2 at trials. This will keep us busier and also works towards our ARCH title. (I think.) FMI on APDT Rally go to www.apdt.com and click on the Rally link. I'm still learning as I go.

And how cute is this? You can find your own at www.magneticpedigrees.com

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The photo: Honestly, she either looks irritated, grumpy, or scared in most of the photos I take of her. She is so serious all the time. At this point I'm not sure she has a happy face!

Distraction work

I wrote this post Saturday afternoon and then forgot to post it because the other topic took over my head and insisted it be presented first. So just pretend it's Saturday night while you read this.

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Today Jack got to come help me work at the prison. He did great. Roxy and Gordon made progress in learning how to keep focus on their handlers around a distraction. The distraction being Jack of course.

Gordon and Roxy are distracted by Jack for completely different reasons. Roxy loves other dogs and wants to play with them all. She needs to learn she won't always get to do that. Not all other dogs will want to say hello to her after all. Gordon on the other hand sometimes gets intimidated by other dogs and tries to drive them away with bullying. So for him he needs to learn to be more comfortable when one is around. Using food for classical conditioning and not pushing him beyond his social threshold is important in the beginning.

So even though it is for different reasons they both need the distraction work. This is just one important skill that will help them when they get adopted into a home. No one wants a dog that goes crazy when they pass another dog during their walks together.

They both did well and by the end of the session were lying down with Jack walking past them and vice versa. It will take more sessions with multiple dogs for this to be something they generalize to all other dogs. How the other dog acts towards them will also come into play. I brought Jack because he is non-confrontational and friendly towards other dogs so his body language is appropriate.

If you bring a dog that is threatening towards Gordon for instance he would take much longer to calm down. He would also be less likely to trust what the other dog was doing. I also recommend using the BAT behavior program for dogs that are fearful towards other dogs approaching. It basically teaches the dog that you are listening to them and rewarding them for not getting reactive with a functional reward in that moment. This also helps build the dogs trust in you as the handler.

As always most training is about learning how to communicate with each other. I'm pretty lucky to have Jack as my helper. I'm sure he appreciates the extra treats he gets paid for the work.

(Yes he is tethered in the above photos so I can better direct the handlers but prevent any unwanted contact. I also walked him around on leash as well.)

Little dogs in action

You need to read the following link to completely understand the topic I will discuss afterwards. It includes more behavior knowledge from one of our supposed "experts" in the field.

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http://www.laineygossip.com/Review_of_Cesar_Millan_show_in_Victoria_28oct10.aspx?CatID=0&CelID=21051
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It is rubbish. Well let me back up a bit, part of it is true. Height does equal status in dog language for some dogs. Let's never forget all dogs are individuals. And behavior is also very contextual. However his description that carrying small dogs explains why they act stupid towards larger dogs in a dog park setting is just completely incorrect. Smaller dogs go after bigger dogs for several reasons. Fear defensiveness, prey drive, resource guarding, or simple lack of good social skills are just a few of them. The reason they think they can do it has nothing to do with feeling superior because they get carried in their owners arms outside of the dog park. The reasons they react to other dogs doesn't matter in order to answer this question however. They act like dogs because:

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A) Some dogs let them get away with it. You see smaller dogs driving bigger dogs away from things all the time. It is about the relationship between the dogs, and social skills of both dogs involved that determines the larger dogs reaction to the smaller dog. No dog purposely does something that doesn't work for them or that they don't think will work for them in some way. Small dog bullies/warns off bigger dog and big dog backs off? That's called reinforcement of the behavior. See it worked! Also remember that a dog in chase/prey drive mode isn't thinking. That dog is in a reactive mode and just acts. (Think about the dogs that get quilled by porcupines repeatedly. The curious thinking dog learns from 1 altercation. The reactive dog tries to grab it every time.)
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B) Dogs have been domesticated. This means the chip in their head that tells them "I am outmatched by this dog and he could kill me so I better be careful." doesn't exist. It exists in wolves because fighting is considered to expensive of a behavior and they know that. Fighting means a risk of injury and injury can mean death in the wild. They are not domesticated. Even a tame wolf is not domesticated. Domestication is a process that takes generations to achieve. When dogs fight we step in to save them and/or get them medical help when they need it. We have taken the "survival of the fittest" instinct out of dogs. This is why size doesn't matter to them.
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This theory of his is right up there with our president is a bad leader because he lets his dog walk in front of him. ~ sigh ~ Would it kill the man to do some actual dog behavior research instead of making stuff up as he goes along??
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Hmmm puppies get carried around a lot. I wonder if this makes them feel superior to us since we are the ones carrying them. OK that is a joke people. I just want to make that clear before someone thinks THAT is a valid issue to consider as a problem! Don't laugh, someone somewhere might think it's true! Scary thought isn't it?
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Photo above by Wendy Buretta