The Dog Blog

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.

I sometimes take Madigan, my 9 year old border collie, to classes with me.  The last time I did this she jumped on all the people, barked at me when I wasn't paying her attention, and refused to hold a stay once I took my eyes off her.  Mind you, I'm teaching this class.  This is the dog who represents me and my skills in training.  I was humiliated and wanted to hand her to the nearest stranger and say, "Is this your dog?  I don't know where she came from!"

Yes, well, feeling a little silly this evening, after a grid-like search of the yard, for a deposit left by Talley. You see, she has been suffering from a recurring bout of colitis, and the poop tells all. Is the poop now firm, cow plop mushy or (sorry) liquid in nature. Right now, I am a poop detective. Bridget, who rarely has diarrhea, not to be outdone, joined Talley in the digestive disasters. Doobie (confirmed by on site inspection) has the only normal poop of the three. With umpteen (feels like) meds on board, and back to cooking boiled meat/hamburger, I pray for normal firm formed poop.

I had this client awhile ago that was sometimes very fustrating to me as a trainer. I was the 3rd or 4th trainer she had worked with and she just wasn't very compliant. I would explain things she needed to change or do to help her situation with her 2 dogs and she would pleasantly tell me she simply wasn't going to do that. The dogs wouldn't like it. I didn't let it rattle me and did the best I could as we worked on some simple exercises that she did approve of. After a few weeks of scattered sessions she called to say she would ring me back for more help when the weather got better. (it was winter in Maine at the time) I really never expected her to hear from her again.

Last weekend I attended the first Best Friends Forever Conference. The conference was organized by Dana Crevling's Dogs Of Course as a fund raiser for St. Hubert's. It was an outstanding educational opportunity for dog people of all types.

St. Hubert's is, of course, a cause near and dear to my heart. It was there that I "discovered" dog training and then apprenticed and became a trainer myself. Under the tutelage of Pia Silvani and the amazing staff of St. Hubert's Dog Training School I learned about effective dog training and have made some lifelong friendships.

The lectures at the conference were nothing short of amazing. Two lectures were given during each timeslot, and oftentimes I would see people in the hall, having a hard time deciding which one to go to.