Category Archives: DOG

… and it unfolds before my eyes!

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I love to watch dogs in motion, dogs interacting, dogs with their people. For me it’s like a dance. Sometimes beautifully choreographed, and sometimes like Dante’s Inferno. Nonetheless, a dance.

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I think the first part of the dance that is important is the use of space. Dogs have an amazing sense of space, when to give it and when to take it. Some are subtle, these are the real masters, and these are the dogs I really like to watch. There is always something to learn with these guys. Others are overt, explosive, and dynamic with space. These are the dogs that almost always tend to overwhelm everyone and everything in their environment. Fun to watch, but not a lot to learn. Well, I kind of take that back. When you see one of the overt space users, you learn that you can predict, with a fair amount of accuracy, who they are going to piss off first, and then second, and then third, before the owner gets involved. When I see these types of dogs coming I almost always find myself cringe just a bit, and maybe look sideways out of one eye. I just know what is going to happen in the not to distant future.

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The second part of the dance is timing. And that’s what dogs have in spades. It’s impressive beyond our comprehension.

I am someone who is super sensitive to space and timing. Perhaps that is why dogs and I get each other. Dogs don’t misinterpret my actions, and I don’t misinterpret theirs. If they are clear that they don’t want me in their space, cool, I don’t go any further forward, and visa versa. I guess space and timing are, in a way, equal to respect. Whether I have honed these skills through working with dogs (maybe some), or from playing sports most of my life (probably a bit), or working in the restaurant industry through most of my youth (for sure),  I can read a situation and react accordingly. One of the constant themes in e-mails that I receive from my YouTube channel is ‘… and your timing is kick ass!’.

By the way, because I am sensitive to space and timing, Costco on a Saturday afternoon is my living nightmare.

Which brings me to today! I was a few cars back waiting at a stop light off of Main street. On the corner was a man with a cattle dog. He was chatting away on his phone when I noticed his dog lay down, face away from the man, head lowered, body still, and eye stalk something. The man did not take notice.

Oh, this is fodder for my training soul! Just saying.

So I looked down the sidewalk a ways and here comes a young kid with ear buds in and looking deep in thought, and a jacked up young bully mix of some sort, that was straining on the leash, and staring at the cattle dog it was walking towards. Because this kid was walking in the direction of the corner, the young dog was being asked, unknowingly, to walk into the cattle dogs space, even with the cattle dog setting up on him, and giving him the “STOP DO NOT PASS GO!, STAY OUT OF MY SPACE” body language. Neither of the men were aware of what was about to happen, neither had looked in the direction of their dog that I could tell. I knew exactly what was going to happen. In. Two. More. Steps. This dance was about to hit the fan! The cattle dog got up and lunged, and at the same time the young dog lunged forward and was straining up on his back two legs. This all happened in about 5-7 seconds. Then the men started to pop and jerk and yank their dogs all around, apparently surprised in some way. Honestly, these might be the Costco shoppers that fry my nerves, I should have taken better notice of what they actually looked like! Cell phone guy never stopped talking, and literally dragged his cattle dog around the corner on its side. As the young kid crossed the street, and I was waiting to turn, I heard him say to someone in passing, “I can’t trust my damn dog” Oh. My. God.

As I drove off, I couldn’t help but think how beautiful that dance could have been with experienced handlers. Handlers that understand how to look at their environment and choose wisely. How to keep flow and motion, while also having an understanding of space and timing. How to work as a team with their dog, not set their dog up for failure. Dancing can be enlightening on so many levels.

It is moments like this that make me wonder why dogs even like us as a species.

May we all learn to dance, for our dogs sake! ~ Nancy

Top 10 tips for dogs in transition

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Taking the steps to get a new dog is exciting. Going to a breeder, rescue, or shelter and spending time with various dogs opens the heart. But when you find that perfect match, the dog of your dreams, it’s better than any present, any surprise.

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I refer to ‘new to you dogs’ as ‘dogs in transition’. A dog in transition is a dog that is moving from one environment into their permanent environment. You know why they are in your home, you’ve been planning. Dogs in transition have not a single clue when they arrive in your home why they are with you, and whats going to happen to them.

The transition period is a time to re frame how your dog interacts and sees their world with you. With good information, structure, and love, dogs tend to settle in with grace. I have found that the transition period is anywhere from 2-8months, depending on the consistency of the household.

Here are my Top 10 tips to help with the dog in transition -

  1. A new start – Sometimes you will know the back ground, sometimes you will not. The kindest thing you can do is to leave that information behind, no dog needs to carry that baggage around, and it isn’t healthy for your new relationship. Your first day together is the beginning of a new life for both of you. Your new dog is now ‘your dog’. Breathe!
  2. Consistent Schedule – It’s normal for some ‘dogs in transition’ to be very polite for the first two weeks or so, some even shut down. They don’t know why they are in your home and will be observing everything, and taking notes! You won’t start to really see who your new dog is for weeks. And when you do, underlying behaviors from their previous experiences will surface, both good and bad. Your home is your home, but now that you have invited a new dog to live there, please be on your best behavior for the first few weeks, or hopefully longer. A daily schedule for your new dog will keep everyone honest, and keep the guess work out. All time should be accounted for. Sleeping area, exercise, meal times, down time, play, socialization, etc. Having a schedule on the fridge is not a bad idea!
  3. Space – Have an area in your home that is managed, and designated for your new dog. This can be a gated room, kennel, or crate. You want your new dog to have a space of their own from the moment they enter your house. Make sure it is comfortable, in an area that does not have thru traffic, and that the temperatures are right for your new dog. When you need to leave, or your dog needs a break from the activity in the house, they will have a space of their own that is calm, relaxing, and safe. Have a pillow or two in the rooms where everyone spends the most time. Your new dog needs furniture too, and needs to feel welcome.
  4. Food/Chewing – Transition can be stressful, for some more than others. Have items for chewing. Bully sticks, raw bones, stuffed KONGS, hooves, etc. Chewing can be very calming, and it gives a ‘dog in transition’ a job of sorts. You take the guess work out of down time. Their food should be healthy and sugar free. No grains, sugars, or junky treats. A nice balanced species appropriate diet is the best. If they feel good on the inside, they will show it on the outside!
  5. Containment – With a new dog, please do not take them off leash outside of a contained area. While they are new to you freedom off leash should be in a fenced area. They will not know you well enough to be off leash on a trail, or in an off leash open space area. And you will not know your new dog well enough to know how they handle situations under stress, while off leash. You need to get to know each other better before the leash comes off outside of a contained area. You need to work on the relationship and trust. And you need to have good behaviors, like ‘come to me’ before the leash is ever off in open space. This takes months.
  6. Exercise – ‘Dogs in Transition’ need a bit more exercise than normal, both mentally and physically. Please don’t feel the need to pound then into the ground, but do make extra time in your day to exercise your new dog. Walks, running, fetch, tricks, and games in the yard. This new interaction with you should be positive, rewarding, and physically and mentally satiating. Slightly tired takes the edge off, and allows for more restorative sleep. You do not want a fully loaded ‘dog in transition’.
  7. Being Right – Start building a conditioned emotional response that is positive. Reward your dog for new experiences in your home, and while out and about together. This can be with a food reward or verbal praise. It comes down to ‘catching your dog being right’, and acknowledging it! Reward your dog if they follow you into a new room, reward them for eliminating in the right place (preferably outside), reward your dog for interacting during a play session, or trying something new in your home that you want to keep.Giving information on ‘being right’ takes the guess work out of their new life.
  8. Corrections – If you give a ‘dog in transition’ a lot of freedom off leash, a lot of time at a dog park, and unrestricted use of the house, they will fail, because you as their new owner are creating an unsuccessful environment. PLEASE be careful to not ‘punish and/or’ correct your ‘new to you dog’ for making the wrong choices, consider this a lack of management error, and fix it on your end. If you are correcting more than teaching and/or rewarding for good choices, then you will put a nice ‘ding’ in the relationship. ALL hands are kind and considerate hands, no rough housing, no physical corrections.
  9. Push – sometimes when a ‘dog in transition’ is uncertain, they will get a bit pushy. If your new dog demands your attention in anyway, nudging, whining, barking, etc, check out your environment. Have you met your management check list; feed, potty, exercise, play, potty, and manged area with something to chew on. If you have not, please do.
  10. Play – Socialization with other dogs, if your ‘dog in transition’ is social, is a great form of play. Please choose their friends wisely and make sure it is mutual. All new experiences with other dogs should be positive. As your dogs new owner, play with a purpose will be super important for your relationship. You build trust, deepen the relationship, help with a positive emotional response, and ultimately get to know each other on a fairly mutual level. You are now responsible to initiate play with your dog. Play should have a purpose of sorts; fetch, find it, hide n seek, tug, back yard game, tricks, etc. When your play sessions are over, please put any toys away that you used, those will now be relationship tools and should be kept valuable.

Nancy

3rd times a charm … or at least I hope so!

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When the back hatch opened, a beautiful dog jumped out the back. My new clients were walking towards me with their newly adopted dog. I couldn’t help but think, ‘I know this dog!?’.

In the pre history forms that I require everyone to fill out, his breed, name, and shelter where he came from were all different, but as they continued to walk towards me I just couldn’t help but think, ‘I know this dog’.

They came into our outdoor fenced yard, we said our hello’s, they took their new dog off leash, and he came right over to me and pushed the top of his head right into my legs while his tail did this slow metronome type sway. My Story does the same gesture so I knew what he was looking for. I gave him that deep saturated touch from his strong muscled neck all the down his shoulders and back. When I was done he kind of crawled up my body with his two front paws until they landed firmly on my chest, and he gave me a lick, just one, “hello old friend”, and then went off to sniff.

me: “I know your dog, we’ve met before”.

The families eyes grew a bit big and a little concerned. “What’s wrong with him, why do you know him?” I had to laugh a bit. Many of the dogs I see have owners that simply want to learn more and do more, coming to see me doesn’t mean there is a problem.

me: “Well, you are at least his third owners that I have now met and will be working with, in less than two years. There might be more but I wouldn’t know.”

Their eyes got a bit bigger.

me: “The other owners were good owners, I know they worked with him,  and loved him. No harm has come to him as far as I know. Why he has been bounced would be anyone’s guess, and really doesn’t matter”

A bit of breathing, always a good sign.

owners: “Well here is our list of things we want to make sure he doesn’t get in the habit of doing.”

To this families credit, they hadn’t had him for very long.

me: “Would you like to see what he can do?”

I called their new dog over to me, and he came bounding. We worked through all of the behaviors that I knew he had, but I could tell that he probably learned a bunch more. One of his previous owners got heavily invested in tricks, and started to enter some on line video events. His enthusiasm for work was what I remembered it to be. He was so starved for mental exercise that we just kept going and going. Dreamy, seamless, and a joy to be with.

When I glanced over at the family, I saw a tear here and there. They had no idea when they chose this dog how awesome he really was. They were under the impression that all ‘rescue’ dogs have something wrong with them and need to be rehabilitated (I detest that word in the dog world by the way, just saying!).

I couldn’t help but smile in a huge way, and break the great news to them.

me: ” I have always thought of your dog as Joe Cool. I’ve known him through his previous owners and coming to classes, off and on for about two years. I’ve had the privilege to work, and spend time with him. He is friendly, social, honest, biddable, and apparently resilient. Any dog that can repeatedly get bounced and remain so balanced is truly a gift. He’s a working breed and likes to work, needs to work, again I don’t consider this a bad thing. While he is friendly to other dogs in passing, he doesn’t like the dog parks, and to me that is actually not a bad thing. You have a very cool dog, I hope you learn to accept that he has nothing wrong with him. What you need to focus on is learning more as his owner and rising to the occasion. Right now he is ahead of you in knowledge and skills. This will be a great adventure for you all!”

Tears. And not bad ones.

So Joe Cool is on his third family that I know of. I’m not sure what the universe has in store for him, but I am glad I am a very small part of his journey and have been able to keep tabs on him through the kindness of his owners. He has lucked out so far with good owners, kind people, and owners who have cared enough to learn with him, even if briefly. He has no battle scars, physically, emotionally, or socially. He has the genetic make up that I wish all dogs could have/share. Solid as a freaking rock!

So here is to you Joe Cool, may your life continue to be awesome with your new family, may they see your brilliance. May they understand the gift they have accidentally stumbled upon. I wish you continued love, kindness, and good people. You deserve it all!

Nancy

prepare your dog

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Life has a way of changing on us, it is truly the only constant. Sometimes we initiate the change, which can be pretty cool. And then some times change happens whether we are ready or not. Some glide through change gracefully, for most it’s more of a bumpy ride until one adjusts.

For our dogs, change is only positive if we have prepared them. By prepared I mean introduce them and socialized them to a world far bigger than the one at home. Socialization at a young age or when you get your dog is far more than just important, it is preparing your dog for the future. In other words you are investing in your dog by introducing them kindly and considerately to people, places, things, events, and other well socialized dogs. Exposing them to experiences in a positive way and keeping their world broad and open.

One of the more common scenarios I have seen over the past ten years is a very well meaning person that comes to a point in their relationship with their dog where they want to do more, maybe a dog sport, maybe therapy, or maybe move into a different living situation with new people. The dog on the other hand has had limited exposure to life outside of the home, and if there were outings they were to dog parks. Some dogs literally jump at the chance to do more, most however have some level of stress as they were never prepared for change, let alone new and different. And some dogs just don’t have the coping skills to transition at all into the new change, change that is being made for them by their owner.

While this may seem like a lot, remember that nothing will stay exactly the same in your life over the next fifteen years. Prepare now so that the transition for you and your dog goes much more smoothly.

About three years ago Ocean went into renal failure due to the administration of drugs she was not supposed to have. After visiting a teaching veterinary hospital, I decided to do home care with her during her fluid therapy as she trusts me to do anything with her, we have worked hard for that relationship. I had to learn how to administer IV and subcutaneous fluids in a matter of five minutes.

Did I prepare her for fluid therapy when she was younger? No. But because I have taught Ocean many skills over the years, her and I work seamlessly as a team. I asked for a down on her pillow, asked for relax which is head down, asked for pa so she would extend her leg to me, and then ready which is the word for me starting something. Although this was change for us all, we were able to work together on new and different, I could take most of the stress out of the situation. I would massage her during each session, and then we would go for a light walk afterwards. On some level I hope I brought some understanding to her that this was going to be a good thing in the long run. I am happy to say that she is ten and healthy!

Tips -

  1. Take your dog to new and different places that allow dogs. Visit hardware stores, outdoor restaurants if your dog has a good settle, book stores, walking malls, etc.
  2. Train often and train creatively. Introduce new tricks and new behaviors all of the time. Keep training fresh and fun. Create a dog that trusts learning from you.
  3. Expose your dog to new people, new places, new things, new events, and other well socialized dogs on a regular basis, especially when young. Give them exposure!
  4. Give your dog skills. Whether a dog sport is in your future or not, trying a little of this and a little of that builds your dogs knowledge and skills. Try a core conditioning class, doggie yoga, foundation agility or body awareness, freestyle and tricks, treibball, etc.
  5. Prepare your dog to work in new locations with you, not just in your yard. Practice your skills on a sidewalk, in a park, on a trail, in a store.
  6. Crate train your dog. This may seem odd, but having a dog that has a safe place, and it’s constant, and they can count on it, helps with transitions. You can bring a crate into a facility for training and the constant is the crate, while introducing new skills and new experiences. Bringing a crate into a hotel room is for safety and also for being a polite guest, but it creates a constant place during travel, which is change. Crates are great management tools, and if conditioned properly, create a place of calm and of safety. And it is a constant in a world of changes brought ton by owners.
  7. Expose your dog to new sounds, new smells, new sights. These can be little outings.
  8. Have friends over to your home so your dog gets used to other people in the house in a positive way.
  9. The more you teach, the more you can ask from your dog.

Think of the future and prepare, your dog will appreciate your efforts! Nancy

train silent

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Years ago, as in the late 1980′s, when I was on the Park City Ski Patrol, I was fortunate enough to be put on the K9 search and rescue team during my rookie year. I didn’t volunteer for it, raise my hand, or jump up and down and say pick me pick me. What ever their reasons were, I am still grateful to this day.

At that time I believe there were forty seven or so full time patroler’s, seven were women. We were put on teams of four for each season, and rotated around the mountain weekly. Sometimes the areas where we were stationed were like a paid vacation. Beautiful skiing, low volume of skiers, and lots of hang time. Other stations were like working in a big city ER room from sunrise to sunset.

The unique part of my team was our Team Leader and the dogs. Lyn was a quiet, hard working, and unassuming man. While he wasn’t particularly chatty, he did take notice of everything. Great sense of humor once you got to know him, or if he cared to let you get to know him. It was my first experience with training silent.

Training silent is something he did naturally, I don’t think he actually had a word for it. It isn’t ignoring your dog or hoping they just catch on, in fact it’s quite the opposite. It’s spending a great deal of time with your dog, working, teaching, watching, observing, and playing, in a structured and managed environment. Building trust. Silent doesn’t actually mean no words, although it can, but more of a minimal use, or rather a quiet use. Having our dogs understand words is important, building great body language so we stop confusing our dogs is even more important. When we stop jabbering on, we have to become better with our other languages, as in body language!

Lyn made me a better skier by dragging my ass all around the mountain while working. He was shaping me into a good dog handler, and he also taught me a great deal about listening. It wasn’t just about hearing words and paying attention, it was about listening to everything around me. Listening with all of my senses.

Because I was young and hungry to learn, Lyn included me in most of the dog work. All of the games, drills, and pit work. I’ll be honest, I was buried in deep pits a lot my rookie year. But I knew there was good work going on, I was learning, and was thrilled to be Lyn’s apprentice so to speak. Playing with the dogs had a purpose. Touch, massage, attention to health, work, directed play, etc. I still use this in my own training program, 24+ years later.

One thing that kept repeating itself over and over was the relationship he had with his dog. Never a heavy hand, never a loud voice, never a command, never any gear that caused harm or discomfort. It appeared to be through their relationship that great work happened. They had a true working relationship. They spent so much time together that their communication was seamless, their mutual respect was tangible. With the other K9 handlers on the mountain it was the same. Lyn was a gentle but effective teacher and was training other handlers well.

After the ski season was over I started a summer conditioning program with one of the other dogs. Thrilled to be asked, and again, not a bad job to have! We hiked the Wasatch and Uinta mountain ranges all summer long. And I kept learning.

Years later when I moved on and started competing in agility and other sports, training silent was something that many of the top competitors were doing, it was awesome to see. Agility classes were offering silent night sequence work, it was awesome. It taught handlers how to work on better body language, directionals and distance, encouraged true team work, and it took the whole command thing out of the picture. It’s kind of like checking the ego at the door.

Talk to anyone that has been involved in a dog sport, 99% of the mistakes are called handler errors. You learn quickly how amazing your dog is, and how much work you need to do as the handler! I can’t tell you the number of times my dogs have covered my mistakes. If there is one thing I value most, its the trust my dogs and I have in each other. It keeps me humble, and it keeps all of us in the right place to move forward.

So here is to training silent, being a good listener, and observing … And here is to my daughter who is the most natural handler I know. She takes my breath away when she is out working our dogs. She reminds me that all of us can do better.

Nancy

throw the flexi leash away

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I’ll be honest, I have never liked flexi/retractable/zip leashes. They’ve never made much sense to me.

I see an owner hanging on to a handle, disengaged, and a dog doing whatever they want, usually at 20+ feet away. They are relationship killers.

Over the years dog owners have tried to tell me how great they are, and I’ve listened, maybe I was missing the point? I can be open like this. But every time I see an owner use one, and see the total disconnect and lack of relationship, there is nothing that can convince me to say a nice thing about them. Not even to take a dog out to eliminate.

They sabotage loose leash walking, they kill the relationship when out and about with distractions, they encourage independent behavior, and they can be dangerous when a dog wraps around a handler or lunges. There is simply no reason, zilch, that a dog should be 20+ feet away from a handler when walking down town, in a store, on a busy sidewalk, or in a neighborhood.

Guess what happens when something hits the fan? Instead of calling the dog back, or simply being right next to them, you can reel your dog in, or better yet yank them back to you. There is no good teaching or training going on there, and it simply falls into the I have no relationship with my dog when out and about category.

We have a man who walks his border collie on what I think is a four to five mile loop every morning like clock work. I have seen him easily for three years, doing the same thing, during all weather conditions. His dog has been on a flexi leash the whole time, straining at the end of it for the past three years. They walk but there is no relationship and for sure no connection. The same the same the same every morning. Well apparently he had it this morning. As I passed by, he was jerking and lifting this dog off the ground and yelling HEEL from a good 20+ feet away. The look of confusion and fear on this dogs face was so gut wrenchingly sad. 365 days a year for a few years, the same walk, and now this? This man never prepared the dog for a heel or even a simple loose leash walk. And then this morning he decides, today is the day you will heel. I have a few other choice words for this man but I’ll spare you all.

Use your voice as your first leash, spend time teaching your dog, learn to work as a team, and build a trusting relationship. It all takes time, but honestly, you cannot expect behaviors if you have not put the time in. And by putting time in, it is a life time, just like for us. Always learning, always changing.

Nancy

multiple dog households and conflict

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When I was pregnant with my second child, and the due date was nearing, I asked a very dear friend of mine, who was the mother of five, how do you avoid sibling rivalry? You see, I grew up in a household with four girls, I was #3. This was an important question for me.

My dear friend took a thoughtful sip of afternoon wine (that’s why I love her!), munched some apple with with cheese, took a deep breath, and said very wisely, only have one!

So what did I do? Well I had my second baby, and then added multiple dogs, rabbits, birds, and fish. We live in multiple everything! My children, so far, after fourteen years, love each other and enjoy each others company. I am a grateful Mom!

And I honestly think my dogs are sated with the company of each other, same with my birds, and fish. But it is not by chance. It has been very deliberate, very thoughtful, and incredibly managed.

Since January 2012 I have had three friends and seven clients that have lost one of their dogs do too multiple dog household conflict. It was either an immediate death, or such intense injuries that a dog had to be euthanized. While this is not everyday, it is also not that uncommon. It would be safe to say that it is way more traumatizing on the owners than it is on the remaining dog/s. The dog/s left in the household almost always have a sense of relief, relief from what is individual, but the calm is palpable. I have met very few owners who will ever trust the remaining dog/s in the house, and it can, not always, but can lead to multiple euthanasia in the same day.

Is this avoidable? To a large extent yes. Conflicts take more than one, why they happen is completely individual. It could be space, the wrong mix of personalities, food, resources, favored person, sleeping, breathing, smell, age, anti social, same sex, under exercised, etc. The one factor I have found to be common is unmanaged, from a very minute amount, to amazing freedom with little to no human interaction.

I am asked almost weekly if my dogs get along. Yes they do. This video exemplifies the love and respect they have for each other, just watch it to the end, it makes me smile every time.

Does it mean they play, roll around, and slap high fives on each other everyday? No way. Have they ever had conflict? Yes, twice in 10 years, and both times it was Ocean when she was coming off of a medication that had a psychotropic component, acepromezine and/or metronidazole. The conflicts were more screaming at the other dogs, never injury. With even better Fort Leavenworth type management, everything resolved in less than a week. No grudges or prolonged anger.

Here are some tips for owners of multiple dogs. I for one love having a group of dogs in my house, but I also like a peaceful existence.

Tips

  1. My Dog wants a Dog – Please do not add to your household because you think your dog wants another dog. Whoever pays the bills, buys the food, and scoops the poop is the decision maker and the care taker. It should be your decision not your dogs.
  2. Be the Match Maker – When you are thinking about adding another dog to your household, look at your current dog/s and think of what would be a good fit in regards to personality, sex, age, energy. Choosing the right match is actually essential. For example, if you have a low confident dog, you DO NOT want to add the same or the exact opposite (Joe in your face and pushy). Choose future dogs that will blend nicely with who you already have. Take your time until you find the one.
  3. Keep your dogs in good health – If dogs don’t feel well they don’t act well. You cannot afford this in a multiple dog household. Social Time – Multiple dogs don’t always have to be together. In fact it’s better if they are not. Social time should include you time, other people and outing time, and other dog time if your dog/s are social with new dogs. Time for them to hang together is important but it doesn’t always have to be play, hanging is OK. Emotional Balance – With multiple dogs it’s important to have an emotionally stable environment. If one dog requires more touch or more space in order to breathe deep, than so be it. Create an environment where your dogs feel loved, safe, part of your family, understood, and cared for. Nutritional Well Being – Having multiple dog households on a stable and appropriate diet is super important. Having dogs on a sugary high simple carbohydrate diet is a disaster waiting to happen. If they are being taken care of on the inside, they will feel better on the outside. Junky food leads to bad behavior. Physical and Mental exercise – This is training at it’s best! This is imperative and non negotiable, in my book. All dogs in a household need their physical and mental exercise needs met daily. Taking this edge off allows for dogs to truly settle. What you want to avoid is a house full of fully loaded dogs. That energy will have to go someplace, and you don’t want them to direct it at each other.
  4. Management – The more dogs, the more management. The more dogs, the more training. The more dogs, the more structure. If you don’t want to manage your dog/s in your household, you have two choices. 1) let them manage each other and eventually have conflict, either a little or a lot, and then take having multiple dogs seriously because you now have a problem. Or 2) manage your dogs and take that time so you can enjoy your dogs, your dogs can enjoy you, and the household can remain conflict free. This means doors, yard, house, sleeping areas, feeding areas, out on walks. You need to be aware what your dogs are telling you. You need to know where everyone is. If there is some minor tension between two dogs, you need to proactively give them each separate spaces (baby gate off areas, temporary fence separating yard area, etc.) until you can determine what caused the tension, and/or the tension passes. You are in charge, you have dog/s depending on you to do the right thing.
  5. Unattended – Leaving multiple dogs alone and unattended while you are at work or out and about is really never a good idea. While some households have virtual fur carpets during the day and never an ounce of conflict, other households can be like the Texas Chain Saw Massacre. In my world, instead of risking potentially bad behavior or conflict, all dogs should be in a separate space when you are not home. Whether it is crating, kennel, or baby gating off rooms. When you are gone it’s down time, not run around and play time and get into trouble. You want to come home to well rested pleasant dogs.
  6. Night night … Most dogs tend to do well sleeping at night in the same room or various places around the house. I don’t see a problem with this unless you have an instigator. In that case, crating or baby gating a small area would be advised.
  7. Observe, don’t label - Don’t get into the habit of labeling your dog/s as the Alpha in your pack or the Boss of your pack. Its a disservice to your dog/s. A pack is generally a familial unit, starting with Mom and Dad all the way down. And besides most dogs that I have met that were labeled as Alpha, were just rude and inappropriate dogs that had little to no training, an emotionally unstable environment, no management, and were left to do it all on their own. Become and observer not a labeler. Learn more about canine body language.
  8. Be a benevolent owner – Your dog/s need to know on every level that they can trust you.

The only conflict I want in my house is cleaning up fur balls under the couch! Nancy

know your dog

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These days we live, sleep, and eat with our dogs, in the same house. We share the same air space, even with Mr. Farty Pants. Sometimes exercise together, and even socialize together. You would think that with this type of intimate living arrangement we would know more about our furry loved ones, but it isn’t always the case.

I truly believe our dogs know far more about us than we do them. They are masters of observation and routine. Because they don’t speak a human language they need to watch us carefully. Learn our patterns, habits, tone of voice, mannerisms, and body language. They learn what picking up our car keys means and respond accordingly. They know what we are going to do by the the clothes and shoes we put on. Some dogs even know what happens during certain times of the day. Ever watch a dog wait for their child to come home from school? They can sense our emotional state, and they learn to decipher our very confusing way of interacting with them. After all we aren’t the most consistent of living beings when it comes to communication. We don’t always mean what we say or say what we mean, that takes intention and practice. Sometimes I think our dogs just have to feel a bit upside down with us, thank god they are forgiving!

Taking the time to learn more about your dogs body language is the first step. Not information you gather at the dog park from an arm chair behaviorist, but from an accredited book or video.

Why are they slowing down when another dog is approaching? What does it mean when they are trying to avoid men when out walking? Is barking OK?

I think it’s easy to fall into the cookie cutter approach when handling a dog, and not really pay attention to the dogs style of communication.

Great observation skills and knowing your dog is way more important than a SIT.

Here is a story that clarifies how important it is to really know your dog -

It would suffice to say that more than a few years ago, I was working with a team that was concerned and scared that their dog was aggressive.

They made an appointment, filled out our history form, and came to meet with me. While their dog was in the car I read through their paper work, their information was scary to say the least. This dog on paper was a nightmare, and the owners were truly unraveled and had no idea what to do. They had been to another trainer before coming to me and were taught that they had to roll the dog over, growl in it’s face, scruff his face, and basically give him no freedoms, all of the basic crap that is nothing more than abuse. They were told their dog was dominant aggressive, pushy, overly confident, etc. But none of this was working, it was getting worse, in fact the damage this dog inflicted only happened after the heavy handed training started.

When we were all ready they brought their dog into our area. From the moment this dog exited the car there was fear language from nose to tale. I didn’t see a confident dog, or a dog that was trying to be pushy. I saw a dog that had been knocked off center some how and was terribly confused.

Stress was emanating from this dog, it was palpable. Eyes, ears, back, skin flicks, tail, gating, or the lack there of, all told a story. This dog was so uncertain, so confused, and fearful that I am sure up was the same as down.

We did a little work that day, but not much. This dog didn’t trust anyone. I gave the handlers a specific list for the week, what they needed to do, and how they needed to manage their environment.

This pattern went on for a few weeks before they felt he could come into our area again. When he did I saw a dog that had a bit more hold on itself. Still uncertain, the degree was a bit less. We were able to work together, he was able to look at me, and I could touch him briefly.

We made little by little progress over the next few months. What blossomed was this lovely tender dog that seemed to be grateful to have a few people understand, to hear between the lines so to speak. This dog had not an ounce of malice intent but had been put into a position to defend itself because no person was watching or really listening.

A lovely worker, a lovely companion, and a tender lovely soul. Once the handling and environment had been changed great work happened, for everyone. This dog is over twelve years now, I see him every now and again, and he still makes me smile. He taught me a great deal about listening. Yet another teacher in my life.

Nancy

 

oh she’s just doing that border collie thing … but she isn’t a border collie!

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Last night we had our Monday Night Walk from our new facility. There is an awesome trail system built and maintained by the Gallatin Valley Land Trust that meanders through homes, along the creeks, through the woods and beyond, simply awesome!

We had a great group last night. Vicki who lives in the neighborhood was our tour guide on this trail and took us to a wonderful swimming hole to cool off!

All of the trail systems in Bozeman are on leash, the signs are everywhere so it isn’t hard to miss. As we rounded a corner in the woods, a young lady was texting and didn’t see us coming, but her American Bull Dog did and went into a low predatory crouch and was stalking towards us. When I stepped in front of our group and asked her to get her dog, she responded with not only my dog is friendly, but went so far as to say, she is just doing that Border Collie thing. Minor jaw drop from me. She was actually nice when I explained that we had four dogs and needed to pass safely, and she put her dogs leash on right away.

Once her dog was on leash and we passed them I felt that I needed to explain to our group why that was inappropriate and why they need to be their dogs advocate first. I know I am a Mother Hen in this way, I own that, but bottom line, an American Bull Dog is not a Border Collie, and even if this young lady had a Border Collie it would still be wrong. A predatory stalk on people or other dogs is called locking and loading, it is the same gesture as pointing a gun at someone. It is meant to intimidate and cause fear. It is not a friendly gesture, that’s why stock animals move for Border Collies, it isn’t like saying please in any way shape or form.

NOTE – Always be your dogs voice when out in the human world, stand up for them and create a safe environment for them, even if it means that you need to ask someone else to be more responsible with their actions. Your dog deserves this effort!

We passed bicycles, joggers, baby strollers, about four other dogs. Polite trail users get a huge Thank You from me!

Get out, do more, be polite, and be your dogs advocate!

Nancy

everybody is a genius …

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Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by it’s ability to climb a tree, it will live it’s whole life believing that it is stupid… Albert Einstein

I think of this often, especially in regards to our dogs that live in a human world.

So often working dogs go into family pet homes, generally with families that start with great intentions. But a pet is a bit different from a working dog, and therein lies the problem and most notably, a great misunderstanding.

Sometimes it’s a great fit, especially if the family is active on a daily basis with an outdoor lifestyle, which would provide mental and physical exercise. A family that gets management, and really isn’t interested in having the dog park as the center of activity.

The hallmark of a working dog is the ability and desire to work, solve concepts and reason. They are beyond great puzzle solvers!

But more often than not, I see working dogs going into family pet homes, and they are asked to live as a pet, with no work, no outlet for mental exercise, and in an environment that puts them into conflict pretty much all of the time.

They are labeled as difficult, dogs with bad behaviors, over the top, out of control, knuckle heads, etc. And these descriptions couldn’t be farther from the truth. These are in fact the fish, that are being judged on their ability to climb a tree.

For hundreds and hundreds of years, breeders have been working to breed specific qualities into working line dogs. Qualities and traits that are desirable can be; prowess in chosen task, endurance, stamina, tenaciousness, persistence, a level of sensitivity, strong multi tasking abilities, strong people orientation, intense mental and physical focus, reasoning, able to work independent of handler and make decisions, etc. Notice, there isn’t a single descriptor for lay in the family room and stare at the wall?!

Wanting or owning a working dog comes with specific obligations and responsibilities. There really isn’t too much negotiating in this area, for me anyway. With all of the dog sports available today, and the huge cache of videos with fun and purposeful things you can be doing with a dog, there really is no excuse. Success only happens when an owner really understands WHO they are living with, and steps up to the plate. For me, this is where the fun starts to happen!

A working line dog is ONLY a pet after it’s needs have been met.

So, here is a shout out to all of the dogs that have been judged by their ability to handle life as a family pet and are failing. May you now have the opportunity to live up to your working dog potential … and fly! … Nancy