A guessing game

Guess the reason for x-ray and for a bonus the dogs breed as well. This is not a client at our clinic. Great clarity isn't it? I find x-rays facinating.

I'm sorry I do not remember where I got these photos nor have a follow up on the dog. Hopefully the dog recovered with no lasting side effects.

Wordless Wednesday

Waiting to exhale

Saturday I took these two cuties to the prison to be the new dogs for the K-9 Corrections program. This is Brody. He is a 6 month old sibling to another puppy we had on the program named Russet. He is a 1/2 German wirehair pointer, 1/4 Labrador retriever and 1/4 Chesapeake bay retriever. He was returned to the shelter for being unruly and for house training issues. It turns out he is a submissive urinator which is NOT to be confused with house training, though it can be as frustrating. Submissive urination can be managed easily once it is identified as such by a few things. One is to ignore the dog when you meet them. They are usually not confident and therefore putting any social pressure on them will cause the peeing. It is a body signal to you that they are not a threat. If you yell at them for peeing they will misread that as you having missed their signal so they will pee even more. Once you build up the dogs confidence they will usually outgrow it. (another management tip is to do greetings outside the house so they pee on the ground and not your floors)

And this puppy is Rocko.

He is a mixed breed of unknown origin. We think he could be a Jack Russell/Beagle mix or possibly a Bull Terrier mix due to his behavior and head shape. I learned long ago however that trying to guess a dogs genetic makeup based on looks alone is a crap shoot. (I saw a video presentation a few years ago with slides of puppies and dogs with known parentage and most of the time our guesses were quite wrong!) Because he had been labeled a pit mix by the shelter the previous owner adopted him from I had to get special permission for him to be on the program. Once a dog is labeled a pit that's what everyone assumes they are. Regardless of the truth he is the very first pit mix to be allowed to participate in K-9 Corrections. That means I am on pins and needles hoping he makes a good impression and that no one complains and gets him booted. He needs to "win over the masses" so to speak. An awfully big job for such a little guy! He is super smart though so I think he can do it.

So far everyone is doing very well. After the first day they haven't had any more submissive peeing from Brody and no one has freaked out about Rocko being there. (there has been one negative comment but not worthy of sharing) You can see video of them playing together on the facebook page. So think good thoughts that this might help be the beginning on changing some minds about what a pitbull really is and can be.

Dog-Powered Scooters

Awhile ago I posted about tricks and tips on biking with your dog. I just learned about a way to make it a lot easier:  dog-powered scooters!

Here's a video:



(Here's the YouTube link.)

No, I'm not getting paid by this guy. (And from my understanding of how his idea has been stolen without compensation, I don't think he's profiting much from the idea at all. Which is a shame.)

I like the idea because I meet lots of needy, frustrated, pent-up, and ill-behaved dogs in the city whose number one unfulfilled need is draining, exhausting, regular physical exercise:

• Pretty much anyone who's ever had experience with dogs will agree with Cesar Millan that exercise is one of the key ingredients in raising a happy, well-behaved pooch.
  
  
• With many of the larger, more energetic breeds, however, just taking your dog for a walk - even several a day - isn't enough to truly tire them out and release their pent-up energy.
  
  
• Biking with your dog is difficult and can be dangerous. Especially if your dog isn't already well-trained - and yet 90% the time I'm prescribing exercise to needy dog-owners, it's precisely because they need a way to start getting their dog more under control in the first place!
  
  
• Fenced-in dog runs and offleash dog parks can be a great way to channel Fido's energy, but that requires your dog to be already well-socialized and "play well with others". Especially in the city, furthermore, I've found that lots of people just don't have easy access to any suitable dog runs.

You can find out more at http://www.dogpoweredscooter.com/. Check it out and support a good cause - while supporting your own pooch's cause at the same time!


I've never tried any of the varieties, so I can't attest personally. But I like anything that lets dogs get more exercise and be happier and healthier in a safe way that's easy for their owners.

Please let me know if you try one out!

Smart puppy!

Sometimes managing the environment doesn't work the way we planned. Training fail!

That's Phat

Walking dogs all day is supposed to be good exercise, right? Then why have I suddenly gained 65 lbs?

Or maybe I'm pregnant?

Sorry Grandma. It just looks that way because the backpack I carry around all my dog-training gear in only fits under my raincoat when I wear it on my front. (And it was pouring all yesterday.)

I have newfound respect and admiration for pregnant women. My shoulders ached by the end of the day - and my lower back!

Now if I can only figure out why I'm craving pickles and ice cream...

Maggie Moo's Maine Moose Chews

A friend gifted my beasts with some moose antler chews the other day. Jack wasn't quite sure what it was.
Jenny on the other hand figured it out very fast. Fast enough that she steals Jacks every chance she gets!

I love these because they are a natural chewie with no additives. (They are pieces of moose antlers that have been shed in the woods.) They also won't stain your floor when wet. You can buy your own at the Animal Wellness Center in Augusta. (or look for them at your local pet supply store) These were named after a friends dog named Maggie who is a tripawd that competes in APDT Rally. Check out her blog here: My Agile Cow Dog. Thank you Maggie!!!