Bad dogs to Good dogs

Do you have a dog who is always getting into some sort of mischief? Always finding something chewed up, a new hole dug out in the yard, your neighbor calling you saying your dog is running down the road. How about getting in the trash, or barking at everyone who walks by the window? Here are a few tips that will help give your dog something better to do.

A dog who is always finding trouble is a bored dog. Next time your dog does something bad, ask yourself what have you done to let your dog get out some energy, or to give your dog some mind stimulation? If your answer is nothing, you just expect the dog to be good, you need to think again. If I had as much energy as some of the dogs in this world, with a mind that lives in the now and absolutely nothing to keep me occupied or burn that energy, you bet Id be causing trouble too!

Lets start with energy. Dogs have a lot of built up energy and need ways to burn this energy. Walking your dog is not usually enough, though it certainly helps! Try finding a place where your dog can RUN! Be sure its a safe place and let your dog have at it. If your dog doesnt have a good recall, you might work on that first. An excellent DVD is the Really Reliable Recall - Train Your Dog to Come When Called... No Matter What!.


If its a large, safe, fenced in area, for the first time doing this you might set aside a couple of hours to go down and just let your dog run around, sniff and have a good time. Dont worry about calling your dog to you. Bring a good book or something to do, wait for your dog to return to you. If your dog returns to you periodically give them praise and a favorite treat or toss a toy for them if they like to fetch and bring it back.

When your dog is tired, they will eventually come back to you. The first time doing this, you will probably have to wait the longest. This is new for your dog and they love it, let them enjoy it! If youre having fun, you dont want to go home after only an hour do you? Remember, this needs to be done off leash. Anything that you can do to get your dog running is GREAT for your dog! This goes for small and big dogs.

Not only does your dog need this off leash time to run, but also some interactive play time too. Some things you can do with your dog include, but are not limited to; swimming, running, hiking, biking, four wheeling, and playing fetch. Some other activities you can try out and take classes for are; Agility, Flyball, Hunting, Herding, Schutzhund, Tracking, Search and Rescue, or even training your dog to do service dog tasks.

An excellent toy for dogs who LOVE to play fetch is the Chuckit! Ball Launcher If your interested in biking with your dog, check out the Walky Dog Hands Free Bicycle Leash or theres another one called the Springer Bicycle Jogger. If hiking is more your thing, definitely look into Dog Packs, that one is a little on the spendy side, a lower priced one would be the Dog Backpack Saddle Gear Bag

If your looking to get started in some Agility or just want to have fun with your dog in the back yard, heres a great Kyjen Dog-Agility Starter Kit and a book to get you started The Beginners Guide to Dog Agility.


Next, we need to stimulate that mind! Try working in some obedience training or teaching them some fun Tricks. If you need something to keep your dog busy while you work or clean, fill up some interactive treat toys and let your dog at it! These will keep your dog out of trouble at least for a while.

If you can give your dog the physical and mental exercise they need, behavior problems will start going away on their own. If you want to take this further, sign up for some agility classes and find jobs for your dog to do! Youll have that dream dog in no time!

A great book to help you further in this topic is:


Have fun with this and enjoy the company of your dog! You got them for a reason right? Show them you appreciate them by giving them what they NEED! Exercise, physically AND Mentally!

Thursdays Game of the week is: Find it!

A great game to play with your dog, you can play inside or outside and even get your kids involved if you have any! Play with a favorite toy, dog food, treats, or even kongs filled with some food. Make it easy at first, have your dog stay, put them in a room or crate, or have somebody hold them. Hide their toy, treat or whatever you are using somewhere they can find it, starting out you could hide it in the middle of a room. Let them go and tell them to Find it! Help them if they need it at first. Keep working on this and making it harder and harder to find it. They will soon be a pro at finding it! After they are great at finding different things, you can put names on them or even teach them to find your keys or slippers! Have fun with this! A very useful thing for your dog to know! A Twist on this is to have them find a person, such as Go find Susie! Then reward them for doing so! Enjoy!

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The Science Surrounding Children Dogs Part 1 The Good

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Hi Julie,

Oh my, but KAWAII is cute! I guess that’s kind of the point? I love that cute is good for us.

All this talk of cute, a website and some observations at home got me thinking this week.  

I recently saw this image posted on Facebook and I don’t mind admitting that it tugged at my emotions. 

Around the same day, I was watching my two year old toddler (an unpublished and independent kawaii survey reports the toddler is somewhat cute) interacting with my dogs (they are cute, no survey required).

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The toddler is currently learning (slowly) that the world is not 100% about the toddler. This involves me frequently coaching the toddler’s interactions with other people and children (“yes it’s very sweet that you love your friend and that you’re giving them a big hug, but now you’ve actually crash-tackled them to the floor and they’re crying, it might be time to give them space”) and more recently in a similar way with the dogs.

These home observations and website images got me thinking about how important my pets, and in particular, my dogs, were to me while growing up. 

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It got me wondering - why do so many of us have enduring psychological attachment to our childhood dogs? 
And do our childhood experiences stay with us as firmly held attitudes into adulthood? 

I plan to spend my next posts looking at some of the science surrounding children and dogs: the good, the bad and the ugly.

Why are dogs good for children?

The biophilia hypothesis suggests that people are instinctively attracted to animals and nature. It proposes that our relationship with them may contribute on an intimate biological level to our sense of fulfilment and identity. In our current busy lifestyles, often lived in industrialised city environments removed from ‘nature’ in its purest form, dogs and other companion animals offer opportunities for these ‘biophilic’ relationships. 

These nurturing relationships with animals are considered particularly important during early and middle childhood. Some research suggests that humans have a higher degree of attachment to dogs than we do to other companion animals; however, this may be a flaw in the way such studies have assessed attachment.

Dogs may promote respect and compassion for animals and nature by offering a child valuable opportunity to experience and learn about animals and the ‘facts of life’. Dogs can assist children to learn about responsibility. They can encourage trust, self-belief as well as caring attitudes and behaviour. They may promote exercise and healthy development, offer social support and provide companionship, security, comfort. Dogs can be an important source of fun and have demonstrated they can act as an outlet for childhood affection.

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Research has shown that regular contact with two or more dogs in the first year of life is correlated with a reduced incidence of childhood allergies and asthma. The presence of a dog in a learning environment (such as a classroom) has been shown to contribute to children’s motivation and can speed task completion without compromising accuracy. Dogs in this context also aid emotional stability, improve children’s attitudes towards school and aid in the learning of respect, empathy and responsibility.

So it seems like there’s a lot to like about fostering a positive relationship between children and dogs. But what happens to children when such an important relationship ends? And do our childhood experiences stay with us into adulthood? 

Dont worry - I’ll be sure tell you more about that next time!

Mia

p.s. Dont forget to head over to our facebook page to keep track of the childhood dog photo challenge!

Further reading:

Serpell J. (1999). Animals in Childrens Lives, Society & Animals, 7 (2) 87-94. DOI: 10.1163/156853099X00013

OHaire M. (2010). Companion animals and human health: Benefits, challenges, and the road ahead, Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research, 5 (5) 226-234. DOI: 10.1016/j.jveb.2010.02.002

Melson G.F. Child Development and the Human-Companion Animal Bond, American Behavioral Scientist, 47 (1) 31-39. DOI: 10.1177/0002764203255210

Blue G.F. (1986). The Value of Pets in Childrens Lives, Childhood Education, 63 (2) 85-90. DOI: 10.1080/00094056.1986.10521747

Zasloff R.L. (1996). Measuring attachment to companion animals: a dog is not a cat is not a bird, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 47 (1-2) 43-48. DOI: 10.1016/0168-1591(95)01009-2

Holscher B., Frye C., Wichmann H.E. & Heinrich J. (2002). Exposure to pets and allergies in children, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 13 (5) 334-341. DOI: 10.1034/j.1399-3038.2002.02063.x

Anderson K.L. & Olson M.R. (2006). The value of a dog in a classroom of children with severe emotional disorders, Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 19 (1) 35-49. DOI: 10.2752/089279306785593919

Gee N.R., Harris S.L. & Johnson K.L. (2007). The Role of Therapy Dogs in Speed and Accuracy to Complete Motor Skills Tasks for Preschool Children, Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 20 (4) 375-386. DOI: 10.2752/089279307X245509

© Mia Cobb 2012

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The Dog Listens to Fox News Too Much

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Bruin Picks the Flicks Good Movies for Dogs!

Photo credit: an iconoclast

By Bruin, canine guest blogger

I was sitting in front of the fireplace in my hound’s tooth smoking jacket the other evening, enjoying a salty dog cocktail.

The book I was reading had already been read so many times that the pages were all dog-eared. Rather than continue drinking and possibly then require some hair of the dog,  I picked up a copy of the Las Vegas Canine Enspirer to see if there were any movies I might be interested in seeing.

It suddenly occurred to me that with the passing of both Mr. Siskel and Mr. Ebert, movie fans were on their own. No longer was there anyone suggesting or catiquing films.

Outside it was raining cats and dogs, and I really didn’t feel like venturing out. I thought, why not pass the time by coming up with a list of good movies for dogs. I could call it “Bruin Picks the Flicks.”

My rating system:
   

A real tail wagger

Pretty doggone good

Plot needs rescuing

Not much of a tail


Below is a list of some movies I have seen over the years.  If you have a bone of contention with any I have either included or excluded, or perhaps you think I am barking up the wrong tree, please do let me know.

West Side Story starring Natalie Woof: Two gangs try to mark each others’ territory.

Lord of the Fleas starring Mutt Damon: Frontline battle with Mutt having the Advantage over a miniscule army.

World War D starring Brad Pitbull: Zombies attack civilization with one bite causing extreme intestinal distress requiring the use of Pupto Bismol.

Hairy Potter starring Spaniel Radcliffe: Puppy attends Obedience School to learn the art of Wizardry.

My Left Paw starring Spaniel Day Lewis: Cocker overcomes challenges of birth disability.

The Dogfather starring Al Poochino, James Cairn and Marlon Borzoi: A litter of Italian Greyhounds and their leader obtain control over the mafia.

Gooddoggies starring Pawbert DeNiro, Joe Poochie and Shar Pei Liotta:Angry group of mutts struggle to rise to the top of pack.

Bone with the Wind starring Bark Gable: Hurricane causes bone to blow away on a southern plantation, with Scarlett and Rhett in hot pursuit.

Lassie Gets Lucky starring Collie Berry: A coming of age romance.

Hound of Music starring Julie Andchews: Von Schnauzer family gets new governess to attend to their litter.

In Heat starring Sandra Bulldog: The misadventures of two members of a K-9 troop.

The Lining starring Jack Russell Nicolson: Blankets start disappearing from a haunted kennel.

Legally Blonde starring Fleas Witherspoon: Yellow Lab has run-in with police because they don’t recognize her even though her name is on her collar.

Doghouse Down starring Jamie Foxx Terrier: Secret Service dog protects President of AKC.

Johnny Belinda starring Jane Weimaraner: A deaf and mute girl is attacked by a wild animal.

Jingo Unchained starring Litterado Di Caprio and Jamie Foxx Terrier: Puppy escapes his restraints and broadens his horizons.

On the Waterfront starring Eva Marie St. Bernard and Dog Steiger: Finnish Spitz gets into a fight with Jerry Springer Spaniel for control of the waterfront union.

Anna Nicole Tops It Off starring Collie Golightly: A Flat Coated Retriever hooks up with an older stud in hopes of getting implants.

Tarzan starring Rex Barker: A swinger meets his Great Jane.

Corgi and Bassenji starring Dorothy Dandi Dinmont and Sidney Pointer:  Prowling the alleys of Catfish Row in search of Paula Deen’s recipe.

And since I have very eclectic taste:

Phone Booth starring Colin Feral: An Irish Wolfhound gets cornered in a phone booth by an attractive cougar.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Whiz Taylor and Pawl Newman: Voluptuous female tries to entice handsome Jaguar by proving she’s the cat’s meow.

Copycat starring Saluki Weaver: An agoraphobic writer on a short leash is stalked by a series’ stealer.

Not that I’m a publicity hound or anything, but if you’ve discovered anything of value here, look for my pupcoming attractions on book and music reviews.

Love and licks,
Bruin

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The Qualities of a REALLY good breeder of a show dog

When I got my first show Dachshund in the early 90s I went to some dog shows, met some dogs and breeders and found someone that I thought would be a good fit for me.  I got on the list for a male smooth standard.  Truth be told, I really wanted a longhair, but I couldnt afford one at the time.  I was young, single and self employed and I just didnt have the money for one.  At the time the internet was young, I sure didnt have a computer and so there was no long distance communicating and searching as easily as there is today.  I got my smooth and he was a fantastic dog.  I finished him easily and he was with me for nearly 14 years.  Still though, I wanted a male longhair.

Long story short, over the years I have had a few longhair girls.  I bred one litter of longhairs andgot three females and still have Ribbon, one of the puppies from that litter who is now almost 10 years old.  Still, I have always still wanted a male longhair.

In 2010, I started checking out the Aviance Dachshunds website.  I still wanted a male longhair, but the time wasnt right.  John Contoupe of Aviance Dachshunds told me at that time that when I was ready, he would send me a good puppy.  I was drawn to him because not only are his dogs beautiful, but I could see that he was extremely committed to their well being.  He views them and treats them as family members and his puppies are well socialized and exposed to a lot of different situations, environments and things before they leave his home.

I attended the 2014 Dachshund National and after yet another year of drooling over the gorgeous male longhairs, I decided it was time for me to think about a male longhair.  I wasnt really ready at that moment, but was ready to think about it.  At the time, John had a litter of four that were just about 3 1/2 months old.  He offered me one of those puppies, IF there was a nice show male available.  In short time I accepted the offer and began the torturous wait.  John let me know that it would be a while before he would know if there was an acceptable puppy for me and which one.  My mind said that time would be 4 months old.

A good breeder wants good homes for their puppies, not just good show homes.  My breeder knew that I didnt just want a show dog, but that I wanted a companion, training partner, a buddy.  

As the puppies grew older, John continued to watch them and I continued to squirm, desperate to bring my puppy home still within the critical socialization period.  But, that didnt happen because still John didnt know which puppies he would keep, who would be show quality and who would go where.  When the puppies were about 5 months old, I contacted John, frustrated and whining that I didnt want my puppy to be 6 months old when he came here.  John laid it on the line and let me know that he didnt feel it was right to place a puppy as a show prospect without really knowing what we had here.  This breeding was an outcross and he wanted to make sure.  He asked me, "You want a nice show dog right?  You really want to show this dog and you want something good, right?"  He was right, I did and he was going to make sure I got that before sending me a puppy.

A good breeder is honest about being able to determine the quality of a puppy and when.  Not only that, but they dont want inferior dogs to be exhibited in the ring, so they allow puppies that are not show quality to go into homes where they will not have to be shown, but where they will be companions and family members. Many breeders will sell inferior puppies as show puppies just to sell a puppy.  

So, I waited.  When the puppies were about 5 1/2 months old, John contacted me and told me that I would be getting Opie.  The male puppies were very similar, but Opie was the one I always wanted and so I was thrilled.  Unlike many other breeders I have worked with, John required that I sign a puppy contract.  Everything was very clear and spelled out to make sure we were in agreement.

A good breeder has a contract and all agreements spelled out in writing so that there is no question later on down the road.  Part of the contract is that if anything ever happened where I couldnt keep Opie, he is to be returned to John.  It is assumed that a good breeder will take their dogs back, but I was impressed that it was in writing.

Opie has been here a few months now and I am thrilled with him.  He has been two three shows and went reserve once and has a four point major out of the 6-9 puppy class.  I have been taking my time training and preparing Opie for the ring.  While Johns two puppies each have three majors, there is no pressure on me to rush Opie.  He is happy that we are enjoying the process and taking our time.

This is, to me, one of the greatest signs of a great breeder, that he is most concerned with Opies well being and comfort level, not obsessed with me rushing him to the ring.  He supports me taking my time with Opie, enjoying the process and journey with this dog and building a strong working relationship with him.  Because I work with so many show dog clients, I run into issues a lot where a dog is not ready and the owner sees this, but the breeder insists that the dog needs to get into the ring right away.  I have even seen owners pushed by other breeders and owners to get their unready dogs into the ring, just to build points for other people.  

Recently, while out on a neighborhood walk, Opie was attacked by a large dog, he escaped his harness and ran home in a panic.  While I am not seeing anything to indicate that Opie will have long term affects from the attack, I know that it is very possible that this may happen and that he may now have anxiety or issues around dogs, leash walks, our neighborhood, etc.  John not only supported, but actually suggested taking my time with Opie, not pressuring him and allowing him to feel comfortable.  As a behavior consultant who deals with dogs who have had single events impact their lives, I can say that this is great advice.  Many breeders would have said, "he will be fine, just get him out there", but John was concerned with Opies well being and cares more about him feeling safe and comfortable than being pushed in any way.

I have a lot of clients who obtained their dogs from really great breeders or who are reputable and responsible breeders themselves and for those breeders, I am so grateful.  However, so many of my clients have breeders who are not supportive of their decisions and are more concerned with the dog getting into the ring than they are with the puppy being prepared and ready for the ring.  I have clients who have been blamed for their dogs temperament not turning out when in fact, the dog is just not sound.  I have had clients whose breeders insisted that the dog be shown far before the dogs are ready.  I have had clients whose breeders think that they know far more about behavior than they do and sometimes recommend outdated, inaccurate and sometimes downright dangerous behavior modification methods.

If you are looking to get a puppy, please make sure that you do your homework and find a breeder whose views are in alignment with yours.  If this dog is going to be your companion and family member first, you need to make sure that you are aware of everything that you are agreeing to and that you are comfortable with that.  If that isnt the case, keep looking.  I work with so many clients that have fantastic relationships with wonderful breeders who support the fact that the dog is a beloved pet as much as a show dog and that truly want what is best for the dog.  This is the type of breeder that I hope everyone is looking for and hoping to connect with.

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For The Love Of A Good Dog What Makes A Good Cow Dog

Tiff was an accident between my sister’s purebred Border Collie bitch, and my dad’s 8-month-old Blue Heeler mutt. I’m pretty sure that she was the best dog in the entire world, but then again everyone has that one special dog that will claim the title of “favorite.” Tiff wasn’t exactly into working cows, although she didn’t mind as long as we were doing it together. After a particularly hot day spent moving tired pairs to forest allotment, Tiff started working for me like she was a veteran cow dog, heading instinctively to where I needed help the most. It was almost as if my wishing sent her straight there. I always felt somewhat insecure around other cowboys when I’d ask Tiff to work, because she wasn’t professionally “trained” and since I didn’t know the proper commands I’d just holler helpful things like, “Tiff plug that hole!!!”

When I first started thinking about writing this article, there were two sets of people that I instantly knew I had to talk to: Matt Mori from Winnemucca, NV and Jim and Julie Dunlap from Maxwell, CA. The reason being, these three cowboys are outside every day: they’re frequently alone and short-handed. The country they cover makes it imperative to have at least one good cow dog, preferably more. There are many cowboys that use dogs, but don’t really like them. They’re a tool, much like a saddle or a bit. But for Jim, Julie and Matt, their dogs are partners, someone that not only makes the job easier but is also a friend.

The overwhelming consensus from all three cowboys is that a good dog doesn’t necessarily live to work cattle, but is sharp and has enough of a connection with you personally that they want to work, just to please you.

Despite his repeated insistence that he is not a dog trainer, Matt kindly agreed to answer some of my questions about what makes a good dog, a good dog. He’s had two that have stood out above the rest, but his absolute favorite was a Border Collie pup named Freddy. Freddy was apparently very slow to mature but once he did, it happened all at once. “He wouldn’t work just to work, he just wanted to do what I wanted to do. He’d cowboy with me, and then go trap and hunt mountain lions with me. He had a lot of range, you could send him a long, long ways. He had this habit, if we were moving baby calves he wouldn’t bite very hard, just hard enough. But then if he had to turn a big cow, he was tough enough that he could draw blood. He was smart about how much to give them.”

According to Matt, you can get better and more work out of a dog that likes you rather than one with a whole bunch of natural talent (breeding).

Julie Dunlap agrees, “My favorite dog was a red Border Collie named Joe who just recently died. He was my favorite because he was very smart, I’m pretty sure he could read my mind. He always seemed to know just where I wanted him to be.” Inside I performed a small, triumphant dance as I considered Tiff’s seemingly clairvoyant abilities. So, maybe she hadn’t been that unusual. Julie continued, “Joe was a good tracker, he could find cattle that I couldn’t even see. He was very loyal and refused to let anyone else pet him. For me, a good dog is one that will think for itself. I prefer to give my dogs a little more freedom so they aren’t as dependent on me.”

Jim Dunlap echoes his wife’s sentiments when he starts talking about his favorite dog, a white Border Collie called Rush. “I love dogs and am a big advocate for using good dogs. I got Rush from a guy that was going to knock him in the head because he couldn’t sell white pups. He was smart and tough and I still have pups from him 20 years later. Dad and I were sorting a bunch of steers and heifers that had gotten mixed. We were holding them in a corner out in the field, and I had a couple of dogs so I was holding the big bunch and dad was working off the heifers. The bunch got pretty stirred up and a steer got away from me. I sent Rush to stop him and the steer ran right over him and got in with the heifers. I had to stay with the main bunch, but assumed Rush would hold that group and maybe bring them all back to the main herd. When I got a chance to look back, Rush had the steer cut out and was bringing only him back to me. I don’t know how he did it, be he sure did.”

Well Jim, maybe it was all because of your love of a good dog.

 *First published in the Nevada Rancher. Like them on Facebook or call (866) 644-5011 for a free copy. 

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And Your Little Dog Too!

This is Mary Langley Bruce in New York in 1908, with her Brussells Griffon, "Cupid". The original model for the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz? Could be!

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