The Dog Blog

Some forty years ago, when I started to re-popularize the use of food lures and rewards in dog training, many trainers were adamantly opposed. ”I don’t want to bribe my dog.” “I want the dog to do it for me.” “That’s sissy training.” I knew these knee-jerk statements stemmed from a lack of understanding of basic learning principles and so I wrote a number of articles, explaining how the temporary use of food as lures and rewards was very different from using food as bribes.

Testing new products on my own pack is a prerequisite before I stock in my own store or recommend you get elsewhere. Here's my recent review of the new KONG WOBBLER. I give it a FOUR PAWS UP, my highest rating. CHECK OUT VIDEO AND FEEL FREE TO COMMENT/RATE/SHARE.

The video gives a more complete experience in how Kong Wobbler rated here at Camp A Better Pet, but in brief, here is a summary:

In my previous blog, I pondered the issue of how to best educate pet owners on safe and responsible travel. Naturally, making information available is very sensible and a major oversight when I wrote “Lady, Your Dog Is Miserable.”  When I became immersed in the social media of Face Book and Twitter, Amy and Rod Burkett, of Go Pet Friendly became friends.  This lovely couple is devoted to making pet travel easy; they blog about all that encompasses pet travel. I am positive you will be delighted after visiting them at www.gopetfriendly.com

It was a beautiful summer day as Dr. Katz traveled down Bellevue Avenue on his way to a house call.  As he passed by the park, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a young girl playing fetch with her Dalmatian.  Suddenly as the dog was on his way back to the girl, he dropped lifelessly to the ground.  Without hesitation, Dr. Katz pulled his vehicle off the road and ran to the dog’s side.  He immediately proceeded to administer the Heimlich maneuver and the dog expelled a racket ball!  Thanks to Dr. Katz, the dog survived his ordeal.

Unfortunately this gal learned a lesson the hard way.  Racket balls are not dog toys.  Racket balls are made of a smooth rubber product and once the dog’s saliva makes contact with a Racket ball, it can become a slimy choking hazard, depending on the size of the dog’s throat.

I choose to avoid violence in all my interactions with animals.  I don't use oxygen deprivation as a consequence to undesirable behavior, I don't grab dogs by the scruff, I don't spank dogs, I don't pinch ears or toes, I don't knee dogs in the chest, I don't do anything to try to mimic a bite.  I try to avoid the use of auditory aversives as well, including shouting at a dog.  Personally, I find those things to be disrespectful.  My human interactions have taught me that it takes respect to get respect, and I can't yet find evidence that this does not hold true in our relationships with canines as well.

Sadly, as the title implies, many dogs I observed while vacationing at Niagara Falls where not having fun. One dog, engaged in a game of Frisbee on a grassy shady park area, looked blissfully happy. This dog was fortunate enough to have an attentive human being. My own dogs were enjoying their respite away from myself, but I could not squelch observations of dogs on “vacation” with their humans. Being trained to observe, my vacation could easily have become a series of lectures to complete strangers on how stressed their companions were. Fortunately (for our relationship) I practiced some impulse control, and we had a fabulous time.

Basing dog training on a misunderstanding of wolf behavior is as useful as basing human education on a misunderstanding of chimpanzee behavior.

Dogs are not wolves and dog behavior is not the same as wolf behavior. In fact, the most striking difference between dog and wolf behavior is their interaction with people.  Wolves have been naturally selected to grow up to be wary of people, whereas dogs have been artificially selected for their ease of socialization towards people. Consequently, it is hardly sound to use wolf behavior as a template for dog training.
Also, dog-dog interactions are very different from wolf-wolf interactions. Dog behavior is like watching simplified wolf behavior in slow motion. By and large, dogs are easy to read and usually give ample warning (intention signals) of their actions and reactions, whereas watching wolves requires a brain with a few more GHz and a bunch more Gigabytes.

Before 1981 when Dr. Ian Dunbar developed the first Sirius Puppy Class, training wasn't recommended for puppies under 6 months old.  The only training methods available at the time involved physical force using training tools such as choke collars, and were considered to be too harsh for young puppies.  Dr.

This month Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) awarded their second annual Hambone Award. The award is given for the most unusual insurance claim. Nominations are submitted and then people have an opportunity to vote for the finalists. This years winner is Ellie, a Labrador that ate a beehive.

Over the years, my life has taken some bumpy turns; I have been in some not so happy places. Different times, different circumstances: always one constant. Always present were my unfailingly affectionate and loyal dogs , guiding me on my way to better times. Not the same dogs over the years, to be sure, but always at least one dog.  When I felt poorly we took to the back roads, wooded trails, rivers, streams and forests. I was often at my happiest when it was just me and the dogs. There is no therapy like dog therapy.