What Does Your Dog Really Want for Valentines Day

If we had to guess, we would say he wants your love. There are lots of ways to show that you love your dog:

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View and share this video: Teach My Person How to Love Me

Train your dog the force-free way using positive reinforcement. Heres how that should look:

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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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Parents Is Your Child Really Safe Around Your Dog

In this article you will learn some dog bite prevention information that you probably

have never heard of before. Did you know that dogs often yawn, not because they are bored or tired, but because they are tolerating a situation that they consider to be unpleasant? Here you will learn how to assess the emotional state of a dog and decide whether the dog is likely to be receptive or annoyed by the attentions of a child. This is important, since in most dog bite instances the biter is a family pet or a dog belonging to a friend, neighbor or babysitter. Normally the children of the family would consider it to be safe to go up and pet the dog while he is sitting looking out the window at a cat on the fence. They would not be breaking any of the safety rules children are generally taught to follow, however, in this case it is not safe to approach the dog. The dog is focussed on the cat and in this state of arousal is not interested in being petted by children. A dog in this frame of mind may snap if approached. In order to prevent these types of bites, children and parents need to learn how to assess the emotional state of the dog and determine whether the dog is safe for a child to approach.

Happy Dogs are Safer

Dogs cannot talk to us with words, but they are highly skilled in the use of body language. Some signals that dogs send are very obvious in their meaning. For example a dog showing his teeth with raised hackles is clearly indicating that he will not tolerate the attentions of a child. A dog that turns his head away or gets up and walks away is asking to be left alone. Other signals are subtler, or are quite obvious, but most people do not know how to interpret them. Happy and calm dogs are safer for children to interact with than dogs that are anxious, scared or angry. Happy and calm dogs will present one or more of the following signals: panting with happy expression, ears and forehead relaxed, tail wagging enthusiastically or lying with one paw tucked under. A dog presenting this way is safe for a child to approach. Note that we are talking about your own dog here. Children should never approach someone elses dog. If the demeanor changes and the dog stiffens, stops panting and wagging or raises his tail high upon the approach of the child then the child should not approach. This applies even to the family pet. An anxious or fearful dog may wag his tail low or even between his legs, he may back away when approached or raise a front paw slightly. A common sign that the dog is unhappy with the situation is the pleading look that happens when a child is mauling the dog. This look involves the dog showing part of the white of the eye in a half-moon shape. Parents seeing this half-moon eye should intervene, since the dog is anxious and may not tolerate the child for much longer. Another danger sign which parents must take very seriously is the raised tail. If a dog raises his tail to a child when the child approaches the dog or when the dog comes near the child, this dog is saying, “Don’t mess with me”. This dog is likely to bite the child if the child continues to antagonize the dog. Parents who see this behavior in the dog should seek the advice of a canine behavior consultant.

Here is a slideshow that gives interpretations to many common dog body language signals:

Approaching a Dog?

In general it is best to teach children to wait for a dog to come to them, rather than going to the dog. This applies even to your own dog (although we know that most people will not agree with this advice). If a dog does not come to the child for attention, then the dog does not want attention at this moment. It is always safer for a child to interact with a dog who wants to interact than with a dog who doesnt. Under no circumstances should a child approach a strange dog or someone elses dog.

My Dog Will Let the Kids Do Anything to Him

Some dogs are more tolerant than others. If you ever hear yourself saying something like: "My dog loves kids, they can do anything to him", then you are allowing risky situations to occur and you are expecting way too much from your dog. Many people think that their dog is good with children and will tolerate any sort of poking, prodding and cuddling. To find out what the dog really thinks, watch the dog for signs of displacement behavior that may occur while the dog is being “tolerant”. If there is conflict in the dog’s mind and he wants to take one action (say, biting or getting up and walking away), but instead he takes another less preferable action (staying put while a child hugs him), he will often displace the desired action with some out-of-context behavior. Common out-of-context, or displacement behaviors include yawning and or stretching when not tired, licking chops when there is no food, sudden scratching, sudden biting or licking of paws or other body parts and wet dog shake when not wet or dirty. The dog may also lick the child repeatedly. This is often mistake for affection when in reality it is the dog attempting to create distance from the child. If you observe displacement behavior during dog-child interactions this is the time to intervene, since the dog is signaling that he may not tolerate much more attention from the child.

Even if you do have the sort of dog that will endlessly tolerate things he doesnt really like from the kids, is it fair to the dog to allow this to continue? Why should your good dog be expected to put up with this? Read about the curse of the good dog and how you can avoid this curse for your good dog.

Interact Only with Happy Dogs

Some breeds of dog always look worried, or alert or carry their tails high or have so much fur that it is difficult to tell which end is which. Children should avoid interactions with dogs if they are unsure about how the dog is feeling. The simplest rule for young children to follow is that happy, panting, wagging dogs are safe and dogs with their mouths closed and intent expressions are not safe. Be on the look out for key signs that the bite risk is increasing. These include, tail raised to the child, half-moon eye, dog intently focussed on something other than the child (cat, food, leash etc) or displacement behavior (yawing and licking of chops are the most common). Dogs displaying these signs are not in a suitable emotional state for interaction with a child and a bite could follow if you do not intervene.

Recommended Parent Resources for Teaching Kids

Family Paws Parent Education
Body Language Flashcard Kit
Dog Detective eBook
Good Dog! Kids Teach Kids About Dog Behavior and Training ebook - by Evelyn Pang and Hilary Louie
Doggone Crazy! Board game (20% off until Sept 30 2012 - use the code FALLGAME in the Doggone Safe store

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Doggone Safe Announces Dog Bite Prevention Challenge 2013

PRESS RELEASE

Media contact: Joan Orr | joanorr@doggonesafe.com | 877-350-3232

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Doggone Safe Dog Announces the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge

Campbellville ON Feb 2, 2013 – Doggone Safe today announced the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge. It challenges its presenters to visit schools and educate 50,000 children about dog safety in a single month. The Challenge is to celebrate Dog Bite Prevention Week (May 19-25, 2013). Non-profit Doggone Safe has presenters in 17 countries, 11 Canadian provinces and 43 states in the USA.

Dog bites to children are considered to be a serious public health problem by public health agencies and veterinary medical associations worldwide. Statistics show that most bites are by the family dog or other dog known to the child. “Experts agree that public education has an important role to play in reducing dog bite risk to children, and the Be a Tree program is one of the ways Doggone Safe is contributing”, said Teresa Lewin, vice president and cofounder of Doggone Safe.

Doggone Safe administers the “Be a Tree” dog bite prevention program for school children. The program is delivered by Doggone Safe presenters, veterinary technicians, dog trainers, dog behaviorists, public health nurses, emergency medical services personnel, animal control officers, police officers, teachers and humane educators. Presenters use a teacher kit which contains large format photographs showing dog body language signs, games and activities. Program sponsors can purchase supplementary branded learning materials such as coloring books, paint sheets, a story book, a poster, stickers, bookmarks and fridge magnets. Over 700,000 children worldwide have experienced the Be a Tree presentation since 2004. Through the International Dog Bite Prevention Challenge, Doggone Safe aims to increase this by at almost ten percent.

“I love ‘be a tree’ (and ‘be a rock’). Its the best of its kind. This information has to get out there”, said Jean Donaldson – Internationally recognized dog behavior expert, award-winning author and director of the Academy for Dog Trainers.

For more information about the Challenge, to become a sponsor, to book a presentation for your school or to register as a presenter please visit the Doggone Safe website at www.doggonesafe.com.

About Doggone Safe

Doggone Safe is a non-profit corporation registered in Canada and Ontario, and in the US is a 501(c)(3) registered charity. Doggone Safe is dedicated to dog bite prevention through education and dog bite victim support. Doggone Safe has members from around the world. Educational programs offered by Doggone Safe are Be a Tree™ (for school-aged children), and online courses about dog body language and occupational dog bite prevention.

2295 Mohawk Trail

Campbellville ON Canada L0P 1B0

877-350-3232

www.doggonesafe.com

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