An alpha roll on video

This is video of Cooper and Walker, our two newest dogs on the K-9 Corrections program. I accidentally caught what is commonly referred to as an "alpha roll" on video. I say accidental because I wasn't expecting it. You can hear the handlers laughing in the background because they don't realize that what they are seeing isn't normal happy play. (while some dogs do roll each other in play sometimes look at how tense Cooper is when doing this) It is a great example of what an alpha roll really is however.

Notice how the larger stronger dog CHOOSES to submit and roll over, he is not physically forced to do so. If he didn't chose to submit to the body language of the other dog there would have been a fight instead. When people roll their dogs they are only physically forcing the dog into a body position, who knows what the dog is thinking. You cannot guarantee a dog is mentally submitting to the roll. (or giving up in some cases also known as learned helplessness when done repeatedly) Those that don't give up when let go may chose to bite. This can be because being forced to lay down in that position (physically forced) reads as an attack to many dogs. Dogs being a fight or flight animal only have two choices in that situation. If they are prevented from flight one of those choices is taken away from them. Guess what that leaves them?

The problem with using physical force to manage or intimidate your dog into behaving means you MUST be present 100% of the time for that to happen. Because it is management using suppression of behavior you don't want, not teaching them the behavior that you prefer. For the best long term results you shouldn't just stop behavior, you should change behavior. (sometimes that includes the need to change the emotion of events for your dog)

What dog owners also need to know is that "dominance" is a contextual relationship between dogs and not a set description of a dog. Many dogs that people label as dominant are really bullies. A true leader within a social group doesn't need to use any physical force to control the other dogs. A good leader is benevolent, not violent. Something we humans could stand to remember when dealing with dogs and other people, but I digress. Bullies tend to be insecure dogs in general. (sidenote: resource guarding is not about dominance)

Cooper is actually very interesting because some of his social cues seem slightly off. He vocalizes when he wants to play but it sounds more like a warning growl. He isn't showing pilo-erection (hackles raised) but he seems conflicted to me. I haven't seen him do any of the stress yawning but he is bowing and stretching instead. (also known as calming signals-see Turid Rugaas FMI) His handler reported that he nibbled gravy off his hand instead of licking it off. He hates the rain, refusing to move if it touches him, and he is more trustful of women then men upon meeting people. Oh and he tends to mark in new places. (who wants to adopt that?)

It is obvious he didn't have a great life where ever he was before coming to the shelter. He is improving and some of our goals with him include getting him to relax around people more and hopefully even learning how to play with toys. We are also going to teach him that when he growls at another dog the other dog will go away. (This means we will be teaching Walker to move away from Cooper when he growls.) This way when he plays in the future he will have some control over the interaction, hopefully with a socially appropriate dog, which should help him be more relaxed in that situation.

At this point I would like to see him go into a home with another dog because he does seem to be more relaxed with another dog around. (much like another former K-9 Corrections dog Grizz) This would also take the pressure off of him that being an only dog can bring. But it is early yet and I may change my mind based on his progress. I can see that he obviously really likes his handler so that is a great sign.

Wish us luck!

Exciting news!

My sister and her fiance are getting another bulldog! She is Minos's half sister and her name is Glitter. (below on right) Here is Minos saying hello. The meeting went very well though Minos played the role of Pepe Le Pew. (I LOOOOVE you!) Fortunately he did back off when she told him he was being a pest.

Isn't she adorable? The bulldog on the right in the photo below is another sibling of Minos, a full sister. You can see the resemblance.

Glitter comes home next week. I'll be sure to share more photos then. Now we need to find her a tutu to wear to the wedding. I think she'll look great in pink.

Wordless Wednesday

NOT photoshopped. Talk about the beauty of timing!

Jenny's big day

Today I took Jenny to her first AKC rally match. Our very first rally match actually. I started with AKC because that was the class I took recently and those are the signs I have been practicing. There was also an APDT rally match today but it was farther away. (at Finish Forward Dogs which I look forward to visiting in the future) I don't know all of the APDT signs yet so I figured this match would be an easier way to dip our toes in the pool so to speak. Plus it was less travel time and gas. Jenny had never been to a dog show type event before and I didn't know how she would do so closer to home made more sense to me for her first one.


The car ride produced a bit of whining but it wasn't to bad. She isn't used to long rides as I am a bit of a home body. She did fine at the site. I kept her busy in her soft crate with chewies and having gotten her used to that crate previously helped I'm sure. What I absolutely hated was the waiting. Novice A goes in the ring DEAD LAST so I had plenty of time for ring nerves. HOURS actually. It is silly considering it was only a match, practice for the real thing, but I did get plenty nervous. I guess it is good to watch the other classes first, you learn alot and seeing others mess up certainly takes pressure off for anything perfect. But it still sucks. While waiting I doubted I would ever do this again. I even texted my husband "This is supposed to be fun??"


It was a SUPER windy day. If you look close you can see the pieces of a long jump holding the ring gates up in this photo above. Ironicly we have never practiced our Rally on a windy day because keeping the signs from blowing away is a huge pain. That will teach me! I didn't take many pics because I was to nervous. You can't tell from these pics but it was VERY well attended. It started at 10:30 and we got in the ring at about 1:45. (and it was just a rally ring -regular obededience was in another ring)
Thankfully it only bothered Jenny a little. She got spooked near the moving gate (from wind) once but other than that she did pretty well. Her nose was to the ground a bit to much but once I got her attention off the ground she did great. I messed up two stations so had two retries. We qualified with a score of an 87 (out of 100) and got a third place ribbon. (out of 4 in the class) Yay! Driving home I thought, of course I'll do it again! It was fun! What a difference before the ring and after the ring thoughts are! LOL I wasn't nervous IN the ring during our turn, just during our wait. I just hope I get over that in future events. That part wasn't much fun at all.

She looks so impressed right? I wish I had asked someone to tape it for us but I didn't know many people there to begin with and the ones I did know left before we went into the ring. I did get over my shyness to ask a steward to take this photo for me. I couldn't NOT get a photo of us at our first match after all! I've also learned I don't have any dog show friends on speed dial! Thanks to Jen for letting me interupt her at work to tell her our good news. I had to share with SOMEONE that understood! (my husband while always supportive wasn't as excited as I needed at that moment)

So we survived our first match and foray into the rally ring. I plan on doing an APDT rally match in July at Wag It. That one is a bit closer to home which will be nice. I cannot stress how much I hate traveling. (for anything) I know these are just match ribbons and no points are awarded but I don't care. I am PROUD of Jenny and want to show them off so here they are.

I've learned the hard way that you never know what tomorrow will bring so in THIS moment I am very excited. We did it!

Hachi ~ My overdue movie review

In full disclosure I am slightly jaded based on my own experiences. For instance, many commercials lately like to use images of dogs with their heads sticking out car windows into the wind with a blissful look on their faces. And I think most people see that image and think; Awww how cute, look at the happy dog! I see the same image and think OH MY GOD WATCH OUT FOR HIS EYES!!!! But I do work at a vets office so perhaps that is an extreme example.

Spoiler alert! If you don't already know what the movie is about, or how it ends, this is not the review for you to read. No complaining because you were warned.

I finally sat down and watched Hachi, the new Americanized remake of the Hachiko story staring Richard Gere. They did a good job with it. I cried. Of course that is hard not to do with that story. True there were some very unbelievable parts in it. In this country that dog would have been in rescue faster than you could have said, "look there's a loose akita in the same place every day" for instance. No responsible owner would have let the dog loose TO make his own decisions like the one in the movie either. And certainly a loose akita would wreak some serious havoc in a neighborhood if left to his own devices. But belief has to be suspended for many movies. This one is no different.

For me the sad part is the true story behind the movie. This actually happened many years ago in Japan. And while I understand times were different then, I find it reprehensible that no one could take the dog in. (which is how it was portrayed in the original Japanese version which I have) Living for 10 years as a stray just doesn't seem like a very comfortable life to me.

So for what it was, a story about a dog left on his own to mourn a missing owner, it is ok. Have your tissues ready. I even liked some of the effects they did from the dogs eye view. And they did explain a little about what an akita is and isn't. "They don't play fetch. They're not that kind of dog." (Nobody told my last akita that however.)

I liked the special features about training the dogs for the movie. Not sure why they didn't use actual akita puppies for the pup in the beginning. (tho the shibas were adorable!) And the make-up job they did on the dog for the last scene was amazing. I disliked where the dog lived in the movie. A real akita would have been very lonely out there. They prefer to be WITH their family. But I suppose that is a detail like when cops watch action movies, they count the bullets and know which shoot outs aren't realistic.

If nothing else it is a charming movie about a man and his dog with some beautiful akitas to watch. (even tho Gere's character is a Yankees fan, bleck VBG) For those that take this historical story about one akita as an example of how loyal the whole breed is, get a grip. All dogs are individuals and while the breed is known for being territorial and possessive of it's people, loyalty doesn't come without bonding and fair training. You have to earn that loyalty. Setting boundaries is also very important for akitas which is why this isn't a breed for everyone.

The jury is out on the effect this movie may have on akita rescue and back yard breeders looking to cash in. While the dogs are beautiful in the movie I think some people may realize they aren't for them based on some of what they say in the movie. Tho they show a dog that isn't realistic in other ways so it may be a wash. Who knows, only time will tell. Fingers crossed.

***Possession is NOT protection because protection implies there is a threat to the person. If there is no threat and a dog attacks a person simply for being near you then you have a problem, not a loyal dog.

Wordless Wednesday

The new recruits

Normally we take a week off between prison dogs but we already have two more raring to go. Plans are to begin on tuesday.

This is Walker, a sweet hound mix in need of better manners. He has been adopted twice and returned for being "to much dog" for the families.

This is Cooper, an aloof (and tall) Jack Russell who needs to learn better potty manners. He was abandoned at the shelter in one of their outdoor runs and seems to have had a hard life so far. Hopefully getting better house manners while learning to trust people will help him find a better home.

More photos are posted to our facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/K9Corrections/