From the mail bag...

Sorry it's been a while since I posted. Between a lovely vacation at the Mendocino coast and my niece staying with us for two weeks this summer things have been busy. My inspiration for todays post comes from one of you, "my awesome blog readers".

On 7/23/08 Edward said...
I found your blog via google, and 1 month into having 2 lab puppies (boy/ girl) from the same litter.

Did you follow the guidelines in the second article (feed, walk, sleep, play separately) verbatim, or take some separation more than others?

Thanks
Edward

Dear Edward,
If you read through the posts in the tab "RAISING TWO DOGS AT THE SAME TIME" you get a feel for what we did with the dogs together and what I made every effort to do with them apart as well. But in short here's a recap:

We have always fed them together. Nutmeg always eats on Shelby's right side. They were the ones who settled into the "whose on which side" arrangement and we then kept it that way.

After the first week, and we should have done it from day one, they have slept in different crates. They were in the same room but there was a visual barrier between the crates until they were I believe 2 years old. It was around the time I posted that we had crossed the milestone of being able to leave the crate door open and have them stay in their crate until released in the morning.

I did as much walking, play time, and basic obedience training with them separately as I could. However, I also practiced their obedience skills together. I know I posted a while back about how I felt it was important for them to be able to follow basic obedience commands together and not be distracted by the other being present. I bought two dogs to enjoy two well behaved dogs together. And at three years of age I can honestly say that's what I have. I guess it my case " you get what you train for". They are not perfect by any means, but we all worked hard to have the basics rock solid. The freedom that allows us is priceless!!

As for verbatim... I have followed nothing I've read "verbatim". I think it's a dangerous thing to do. Even in your search for doing it the right way, don't loose sight of the fact they are your dogs and they each have unique personalities and temperaments. Each one has different needs and is going to respond to training methods differently. Also, being your dogs there are things that will be a part of living with you and your family that are unique. You may have a couple rules of your own that it will be important for them to learn. In my humble opinion it is more important to be keyed into them and how they are responding than worrying about following some training/raising formula verbatim. That being said I have strived to follow closely the principals shared in everything Suzzane Clothier has written from her vast training knowledge and experience with dogs. You can see the other "must have books" for me on my bookshelf on this blog. I have read others, but these have been the biggest influence on how I raised my dogs. I believe raising dogs is as diverse as raising kids. My sister and I have had countless conversations about this and we both just laugh when we can relate to each others experiences. I with my two dogs, she with her two boys.

Please don't think I am down playing the importance of doing things separately with your dogs. I had to work twice as hard for a time for not having put in the necessary separate time earlier. I was fortunate to have had the ability to be with them 24/7. It's part of the reason my husband and I were willing to take on two at one time. Do I think that 24/7 is the only successful way to raise two, NO! But don't fail the dogs by taking on more then you can truly manage.

The most important reason you want to have the separate activity time is that you want the dogs 100% keyed into you not each other. It's not about dominance it's about investing enough time in the relationship that they will willing give up what they want to do for what you want them to do. If one decided to chase a squirrel and it is not safe, you are going to want to have the decisive third opinion in this decision. It may save both their lives in any number of possible scenarios. In more general terms you want them to be looking to you, or deferring to you for key decisions on their behavior instead of each other. This can be as simple as how they greet people at the door or out in the community, to stopping them dead in their tracks before they run into harms way.

I know that you are going to raise awesome Labradors. Just the fact that you are out there looking for all any information you can find tells me that those dogs are luckly to have such a great "Dad".

Good luck! The fun has just begun.

"Sunshine"

All good things come to those who wait

I knew this day would come.

I knew this day was possible.

I knew I couldn't give up hope.

Looking into his eyes, despite the fact they were adolescent eyes, I knew one day I would be writing this blog post. And today's the day!

Tonight for the first time Shelby and I walked all the way around the block with no leash. I was so proud of him!! Yes, he still pushes the limits on how far away from me he wants to jog ahead, but he was able to be checked with voice commands. We had two encounters with three others dogs out for walks, granted they were across the street on the opposite sidewalk, but still ... !

In the past there would have been no holding him, or shutting him up for that matter. (See previous post "Surviving Puppy Adolescence")

Yet there he was this evening prancing at my side with a yip and whine or two, (maybe it was three - anything is better than the incessant barking fits he'd go into) and he was quick to check in with me with those loving attentive eyes turned up to me as if to say, "look, look, look mom - other dogs!!" I couldn't help but smile in admiration!!


So here he is now in the evening shadows of my office - 13 months later. And I couldn't be more proud of him. That's my boy!!

Stop making excuses ...

I can't tell you how much I can relate to this post today. "Slam-Dunking Pappy" With two Yellow Labradors that I have encouraged with food rewards to have a consistent retrieve, I often loath dog parks.

My motivation for rewarding the consistent retrieve was to reinforce a strong off leash recall, and still allow my dogs to get the extensive exercise they need. This of course means that my dogs love to retrieve. They are often the only ones in the group that will stick with the activity more then the initial five minutes the other dogs will give to it. That's when the "denizens of the dog park" turn their fun into a cruel game.

I think what pisses me off the most is the fact the owners of these denizens think it is funny, or cute, or "their just being dogs." I'm sorry, but that to me is a total cop-out. These owners in my experience do not fully have the respect or off leash control of their dogs. There is no way for them to stop or control the behavior of their dog in this cruel game. So, they make excuses for it by down playing what is actually happening.

My dogs can be seriously hurt, most of the dogs that enjoy this game are tough, compact, low to the ground little tanks. At the very least they at least have the advantage of planning the impact and are prepared for the hit.

I actually had one woman who's dog was doing this one day tell me that my dogs needed to be "more aggressive". "Are you insane", I thought, "more aggressive!!!!!" I chose the breed of dog I did largely on their temperament, I live in a dog dense community with one in every house if not every other. I have corrected even the slightest toy possessiveness in our home of two dogs, as well as in play with other dogs - even if it is their toy. It's not "my dogs job" to tell your dog he's "being a shit head", that's your job, and if you can't see it I'm going to tell you, "your dog's being a shit head," and that "you need to do something about it," as it's "your fault" for not being able to redirect your dog. My dogs do not deserve to be your dogs punching bag!

I'm tired of people who make excuses for their dogs behavior just because of their breed, "Oh, he's a terrier - it's just what they do," or "he's a herding dog - they love to herd," the classic, "he's a bull dog their just stubborn, there's nothing I can do about it." All I hear is, "I'm a lousy owner who has not respected the breed of dog I chose enough to work hard to make them safe in any situation when socializing with other dogs."

Ok, I'm done ranting!!

Dog "Tails" . . . It's more than just a wag

Who knew . . .

In a recent New York Times article, "If You Want to Know, if Spot Loves You So, It’s in His Tail" (Published: April 24, 2007) Sandra Blakeslee explains the current science behind understanding dog tail wags.

Did you know . . . ?

When dogs feel fundamentally positive about something or someone, their tails wag more to the right side of their rumps. When they have negative feelings, their tail wagging is biased to the left.

The article is fascinating in that it goes on to explain that this right brain vs. left brain distinction in various circumstances also exists in many species.

Research has shown that in most animals, including birds, fish and frogs, the left brain specializes in behaviors involving what the scientists call approach and energy enrichment. In humans, that means the left brain is associated with positive feelings, like love, a sense of attachment, a feeling of safety and calm. It is also associated with physiological markers, like a slow heart rate.

At a fundamental level, the right brain specializes in behaviors involving withdrawal and energy expenditure. In humans, these behaviors, like fleeing, are associated with feelings like fear and depression. Physiological signals include a rapid heart rate and the shutdown of the digestive system.

One of the scienfitic anatomical explanations is that . . .

The asymmetry may also arise from how major nerves in the body connect up to the brain, said Arthur D. Craig, a neuroanatomist at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. Nerves that carry information from the skin, heart, liver, lungs and other internal organs are inherently asymmetrical, he said. Thus information from the body that prompts an animal to slow down, eat, relax and restore itself is biased toward the left brain. Information from the body that tells an animal to run, fight, breathe faster and look out for danger is biased toward the right brain.

Go check out the whole article, it's a facinating read.

Who knew . . . ?
you do now!

End of week "2 dog household" summary

So, we've begun to enjoy life with our two dogs on a completely new level. Specifically one of the things we are able to do now is leave their crate doors open at night. In the morning they wait for us to get up and release them to head out to the kitchen for their morning potty check and breakfast. The first night I actually forgot to close Shelby's crate I was quite proud of my boy. Then came the realization that we now would be enjoying the protection and security of two amazing watchdogs. God protect anyone entering our house at an un-godly hour of the night, as both dogs are no longer secured in their crates.

Then, we were working late yesterday evening on some end of week projects. It was around 11:30 pm when both dogs get up, stretch, do a wake up "shake off" and slowly saunter outside. We could hear them step on their pee rocks. Next thing we see, they're headed down the hall to their crates. Without a single prompt from us our two "fur children" have put themselves to bed. We've begun a new stage in the wonderful life with well trained dogs. They have settled into our routine and have begun to anchor to our normal patterns. Even though we had a bit more to do before we followed them, they had turned in for the night.

Today we made it to the beach and it was a beautiful day!! The dogs loved the extra fun and exercise at their favorite place to play. When I got home I have a message in my in-box with a link to the following YouTube video. Go check it out! This guy really has a sense of humor. I hope you enjoy!!

Have a nice weekend!

My responce to "Teri's Tail Wag"

Thanks to Teri and her comment on my last post: Wasn't it just yesterday that they were puppies?, here's my response.

Teri,

I'm so happy for you and your new family members. You are doing much better from the start than I did and I hope you avoid some of the struggles that I ran into. I don't think you need to keep your puppies apart for days on end.

Here are my thoughts but keep in mind that it may be good to keep looking for advice. I would check with the books from the awesome trainers I've recommended here on my blog for starters. First and foremost go with what you know, and what feels right for you. They're your dogs and it has to be right for you and them. Dogs have as diverse temperaments as children and so need different approaches in their training and raising as well. This blog is about my experience with my two unique dogs.

Here are my thoughts on some of the key times you've mentioned:

• Crate time - different crates are a must. Whether in the same room or different room is up to your logistics and your gut feeling. Dogs are pack animals and I think that it is positive and important to nurture this natural characteristic dogs have, as long as we are the ones leading the pack by setting necessary limits and building their trust and confidence. We had to put a visual separator between the two crates to tone down the whining. They could however, get audible reassurance that the other was close. If your puppies are doing well at night in separate rooms then stick with what is working for you.
  
• Feeding time - We still do, and have always done this together, but I would suggest different areas in the same room with at least different food dishes. It may be easier for them to share a water dish but this is up to you. It sounds like you have this logistics worked out already.
  
• Play & Training time - They should have both dedicated play time and training time with you. This will give them both disciplined and relaxed time with you and they will learn to distinguish the difference in your body language and tone of voice. But I would definitely allow them to play together with you and all members of the family. They need this because as I've mentioned already it's hard wired into their instincts to be "family" (pack) oriented. I personally feel it's also important for their emotional and psychological development. Towards the middle and end of adolescence (9 - 13 months) I would also encourage you to bring them together for training time. That way they learn that they need to pay attention and obey not just play when they are both with you. You got two dogs like I did so that you could enjoy both their company. You need them to be able to be disciplined as well as relaxed when they are together.
  
• Obedience class - Logistically it was not possible for us to take our dogs to different "puppy" and "beginning/intermediate" obedience classes. We did run into some problems as adolescence started but we had not done some of the important things you are doing already so we had the cards stacked against us. If you can take them to different classes they will learn to socialize with other dogs independent of each other. This will be very good especially if un-beknownst to you they would have the tendency to double team on a new dog and overwhelm that dog. Fear is never a good emotional state for any dog not to mention any dog encounter.
  

These are just my thoughts and my experience is limited to my two dogs. I hope this offers you some food for thought. Keep me posted on how things go.

"Sunshine"

Flies... and what we can learn about our dogs!

Nutmeg absolutely loathes flies, especially in the house. It's beyond the normal neurosis and yet I can appreciate her vehemence on the matter. The other day no less than three found their way into the kitchen and a crisis ensued. Everything came to a standstill until I had tracked down every last one.

After dipping into a worse spell than usual, she finally gave up, tucked her tail and headed to her crate in the middle of the day. Something she NEVER does! When I had finally killed the last one I was more thrilled than then she was.

In an truly elated voice I told her it was safe to come out, that they were finally all gone. That's all I had to say. She came out tentatively and kissed my face in appreciation then joined be back in the kitchen in her favorite sunspot and life resumed it's usual pace. And to think, someone just the other day was saying that they had a dog that would eat bees. Who knew!?

Who are we fooling when we want to believe that Freud wrote the book on physiological disorders and that as humans we were the first and only species to truly understand complex emotions.

Although this is no stellar example of a "brainiac" dog, it still goes to show the complexity of and beauty that makes up these amazing companion creatures. Next time you notice something is "off" with your dog take the time to figure it out. They'll thank you for it.

Update:
For more on this topic check out this article: "What your pet is thinking"

The "Shake Off" - Why dogs sometimes shake for no apparent reason.

There are several blog feeds that I enjoy reading on a regular basis. One of them you can find in my sidebar - Pappy's Dog Blog. The most recent post titled"Hippy Hippy Shake" made me realize how much I've learned about my dogs communication without realizing it.

In her book Canine Body Language: A photographic Guide, Brenda Aloff offers one explanation for this behavior. She points out that the "Shake Off" is something dogs will do that "indicates that the dog is coming down off adrenaline" . . . and "is moving into a Thinking or Responding state and out of a Reactive and unpredictable state." She goes on to explain more about this particular behavior and how this behavior is played out in dog/dog interactions. She has great pictures to go with her explanation that show various breeds of dogs demonstrating this behavior.

I can attest to the accuracy of this explanation with my own dear Shelby a prime example of a Reactive Dog. If he is in a "reactive" (or hind brain) mode and is trying to self calm or refocus he will shake from head to tail. It mainly starts with his head being most vigorously shaken but can go all the way to his tail sometimes. As he gets excited when he sees new people or if other dogs approach our gate I often see him try to shake off his "reactivity" if I give him an anchoring command like "leave it", "sit", "heal" etc. I'm asking him to refocus and it his way of trying to comply as quickly as possible. Sometimes it will happen without my intervention or redirection but after he has gone a bit "reactive" i.e. seeing a squirrel, bird close by.

I'm sure there are other reasons why dogs shake. I can tell you however that knowing as much as possible about why my dogs may do something gives me such an invaluable understanding of what my dog may be telling me. I highly recommend Brenda Aloff's book. Reading her book is similar to when you've gone to visit a foreign country and all you here is gibberish then all of a sudden someone comes along and starts translating the gibberish into meaningful words and phrases. Your whole world changes. That's what this book did for me and my ability to understand my dogs. It was a beautiful thing!!!

Side note:
For those of you who come regularly and have been wondering where I've been, sorry I've been MIA. A friend has just brought his mom home on hospice and I've been helping out. This was a nice break from where my energy has been focused recently. I hope you find the information interesting and hopefully helpful.

"Down the White Rabbit Hole" again . . .

There are two ways to spend your Sunday mornings when you own a dog and you have a blog. Option 1) Dog Dreams - & other Sunday morning reflections, or option 2) "Chasing White Rabbit's" on a Sunday morning.

As I got to sleep in yesterday and it was my turn to get up with the dogs today there was no enjoying option #1. So this morning finds me "down a rabbit hole again" as I enjoyed option #1 on Saturday. Here's what I've found so far "chasing white rabbits" this morning.

Check out the beautiful work of animal portrait artist Katja Turnsek, from Sweeden at Pet Portraits, by Katja Turnsek. She also has a Blog, where you can read about some of her current projects. She also offers generous Free Stuff on her website that features her artwork.

Then I owe a huge thanks to Karen Shanley for the new link in my side bar tab:

LOOKING FOR ANSWERS?

DOG TRAINING & CARE TIPS

from James & Kenneth Publishers. They are "proud to publish all of Dr. Ian Dunbar’s dog-friendly dog training books and DVDs". Also available on their website: [Excerpt]

In our attempt to educate prospective puppy owners before they get their puppies, we have convinced Dr. Ian Dunbar to allow us to offer his book BEFORE You Get Your Puppy for free.

Also check out this great FREE article ontraining your "Hyper Dog". This in only one of several other great FREE articles in their Behavior Problems tab on their website. The website also offers for sale Ian Dunbar's DVD's and Books.

Taking a different turn in my journey here's a couple great product finds:

If you are looking for a waterproof blanket here is the best product result I've found so far: Mambe Blankets. Here are some of the qualities of the "Outdoor Polarfleece® Blankets" If this is what your looking for than look no further:

• Stay Dry: 100% water-proof and wind-proof
• Lots of colors and prints
• Sizes for 1 person up to 10 or more
• Easy Care - Machine washable
• Guaranteed for life
• FREE Shipping!

Along those same lines is the "Mega Mat™ padded picnic mat" from "The Kitchen Store".

If you have a large dog or two medium-large dogs like I do than maybe you'll be excited with the great dog bed finds at Mammoth Outlet like I was. I haven't ordered from them myself but their prices are really competitive. If anyone has ordered from them please leave your feed back here in the "tail wag" comments section. I'd love to hear about your experience as I'll be updating some of the beds around our house in the next 6 months.

A "Tired Dog" is a "Good Dog"

And now back to our regularly scheduled topic.

When you own a dog, not to mention a big dog, and he just happens to be a reactive big dog, you are very familiar with the idea that "a tired dog is a good dog." That being said, be very careful just how quickly you jump to this solution. The phrase should really be "a calm dog is a good dog." When I say calm I mean a dog that has self control, a dog that can self calm, one that can modulate it's own behavior on command. At the very least it is a dog that will hold a neutral position whether that is a "sit" or a "down" despite being excited, until they are calm.

When I started classes with Trish I figured that exercising them before class would help. It totally backfired on us. Instead of being easier to direct Shelby was even more "ampted" up.

My girlfriend who has a "reactive" female Labrador decided to put her in agility. The logic being that it would focus her energy and give her an outlet for all her extra energy. Her dog did well but in her second class she was bit by one of the other dogs. There are so many things that should have been done differently to avoid her dog getting bit but that's not the point here.

My point is however that an easily over excited dog should not have another over stimulating outlet for their energy until they have a bit more self control. If you want to hear from the experts as to what this should look like check out these great resources:

Guidelines For Teaching Self Control, by Suzanne Clothier
Understanding & Teaching Self Control, by Suzanne Clothier

At our house it looks like the following:

• Both dogs have to go to their bed and lie down quietly before each meal time. (Quietly being the operative word here when it comes to Shelby.)
• Even after their food is served they must wait until I give them the release command which in our house is simply "Release"
• If one dog is getting affection the other can not push in. They are told to "sit" and "wait". Whining and vocalizing gets them nothing but the command to "be quiet". Sometimes I have walked away without giving Shelby even a pat if he has been exceptionally demanding
• If we are going somewhere and they have gotten over excited they have to sit at the open door until they are calm and quiet before I "release" them outside.
• If they are overexcited and barking when we get to the park they have to lay down and not until they are quiet are they "released" out of the car.
• Our dog park is double gated at the entrance. My dogs have to hold a "sit stay" with their leashes off so I can go and open the second gate. They don't move to enter the park until they are "released".
  

This last one has a made a huge difference. Before I started insisting on this, Shelby would make such a racket that all the other dogs that were even slightly excitable would hover by the gate and charge him in their excitement as he entered. He never got hurt but it was enough to make me worry. Now even if we enter with him barking and whining by the time we enter the park any interested dog has lost their initial interest and my dogs can enter without getting mobbed. All around much safer for all the dogs.

One more point to keep in mind is that your dogs will take thier cues from you. It's hard wired into thier instincts as pack animals. When you raise your voice or talk sharply, a dog hears this tone as being excited, similar to barking. Realize that it will only reinforce their already excited behavior, and give them the idea that you are excited too, so it must be okay! Instead speak softly and in quiet tones to get your dog to calm down, and they'll realize soon enough it's not appropriate behavior for the situation.

Trust me this is not an easy thing to always practice when you own a "reactive" dog. They seem to be able to go from "zero to crazy" in a split second all on their own. I continue to struggle with keeping my voice calm everyday. That being said, it's good to keep reminding myself what my focus should be and why. Hopefully it will help you too, if you as well find yourself with a dog that needs self control as much as they need exercise.

"Keeping harmony in the family" - Living in a multi-dog household

If you haven't discovered Karen Shanley's blog yet, it's well worth your time. You can link to her blog anytime from the "button" I put in my right side bar, or you can check out the link in this post. Her blog covers more than just life with her dogs but when she shares her insights on her canine "family members" there's a lot to be learned. In her recent post she offers some great advice in answer to a very important question from one of her readers:

"How to Choose and Introduce a New Dog to an Old Dog"

Take some time to read this great post if you are even remotely considering adding a "family member".

If you are like me and started with two from the start you have my appreciation for the challenges this may have brought you. One of the things you may have not have noticed or considered is shared below. I contributed this to Karen's post in the comments section but on further thought realized that it could really stand alone when it comes to living in a multi-dog household wether or not you are introducing a new dog to a resident dog. I hope that between both posts you will gain some new insight that will make your life with your dogs even better.

My advice on living in a multi-dog household . . .
[taken from my comment on her post]

. . . one thing that may be important to consider in a multi-dog household is that “You” may become the prime target in resource guarding. It was my experience that the more intune I became with my dogs needs (especially during adolesence) the more I realized that when I was giving out affection to one the other would try to push them out of the way to get at me. I had to set up strict boundary commands and used a word they were already learning “Wait”. That meant, “stop, and wait for me to invite you to get some affection”. It was amazing how this improved the over all emotional health for both dogs. Nutmeg became less “needy” and Shelby began to demonstrate better “self-control” even beyond affection time.

Despite how flattering it is to have not only one but two dogs clammering for your attention don’t loose site of their needs in the process.

Another thing that helped build self confidence and anchor my dog’s bond and trust with me is seperate training, play, and affection time with each dog. I don’t know if this element is as important when bringing an older dog into the picture but I can’t see why it wouldn’t also hold ture, at least on some level.

On a side note: I love my two dog household, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I do however wish that I had known from the start what I know today. That being said there is a lot of truth to “experience being the best teacher”.

"Honey, I think the dog's tail is broken ! ! "

Excerpt from: "Cold Water Tail" by Diane O. Gifford

"Cold water tail," "limber tail syndrome," "broken tail," "dead tail," "broken wag" are all euphemisms for a relatively common occurrence in sporting dogs. The tail of the dog hangs down from the tail base or is held horizontal for three or four inches and then drops down. A flaccid tail episode appears to be a painful, but relatively benign affliction that can occur after swimming, after a heavy hunting day or even after a bath with cold water or water that is too warm. It is not always associated with swimming or water, but can happen after a heavy day of work that involves a lot of tail action. The majority of limp tail cases have been reported in sporting dogs or hounds -- Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Setters, Pointers, Flatcoats, Foxhounds and Beagles are the breeds frequently named. Almost all dogs that suffer through an occurrence return to normal within a few days. Affected dogs may or may not have a repeat incidence during their lifetime. [It is this author's experience that symptoms will repeat in the same animal and can be triggered by something as simple as a cold water bath.] This affliction has been described by the layman as a "sprain," fibrosis or a "cold in the tail." The affected dog is miserable at the onset and the tail is painful. If neither the dog owner nor the veterinarian is familiar with this condition, it can be disturbing--fostering conjecture on a possible fracture or spinal cord disease.

Here's another good link.

As for Nutmeg, it wasn't until that evening after the swim that her tail went limp. You could really tell that it was uncomfortable for her to sit straight down on it. She was quick to shift all the way onto her hip. She did more standing or lying down during the 48 hours that her tail was too sore to lift. Hopefully if you see this with a similar onset you won't freak out and have to pay an unnecessary vet bill. Just be sure it is not something more serious before you dismiss it as something that will resolve on it's own. I always have on hand a herbal tincture called "trauma" from our holistic vet. It has arnica in it and other healing anti-inflammatory herbs. She got one drop every hour to two hours that evening then 4 times through out the next day. By the following day she was noticeably pain free and wagging her usual high and happy tail.

Does your dog listen to you when you whisper?

Over the course of the past 10 months I have re-thought all the interaction and training approaches I had fallen into in the first 8 months we were raising our dogs. The improvements in all our lives has been invaluable. My often OCD controlling dark side rarely surfaces anymore much to my husbands delight not to mention the dogs.

When we started this venture it was easy to let my voice escalate in volume when re-directing the dogs, not to mention the often increasing harshness in my tone of voice as I was saying the same command for the hundredth time. It was quite easy for it to go down hill from there quite quickly. The image of the tiny pebble turning into the gigantic snow ball that consumes everything in its path is quite appropriate here.

After much work, primarily on my part, and a little bit of maturing on the dogs part the harmony in our house is a beautiful gift. I fell into, by accident almost, giving my commands to the dogs in a whisper. Quiet peaceful moments are so special now that disturbing it with the sound of my voice does not seem right sometimes. I should not have been surprised when the request was immediately complied with but I was.

I'll be very honest, I don't whisper all my commands to the dogs. I do still raise my voice at times, and Shelby still seems to have that wonderful knack of drawing the "most charming" tone of voice out of me. (Yes, I'm being very sarcastic here.) But the more I remove my voice out of the equation the more I notice their active intelligent response to my request. They may think and pause a bit when all I give them is a hand signal and body language direction, but there is a lot less "arguing" and "back talk" especially from Shelby. (If you have a dog I'm sure you know what I'm talking about when it comes to "arguing" and "back talk".)

When my sister and I sit down to talk and share we often say, "yeah, I know what you mean." She however is raising to boys ages 4 and 6, while I have two yellow Labradors. "Impossible", you say, "how could you have anything in common with a mom of two boys?" Trust me when I tell you that we have more to commiserate about that I had ever thought.

Dogs are living breathing, feeling, emotional beings and anyone that says otherwise is missing out on the best part of owning and living with a dog. We all have emotional needs, to say otherwise is truly unfair. For me finding the least possible force to direct my dogs is what I am striving for. Right now adding in a whisper when ever I can is a great start for me.

Here's to whispering more and shouting less!!

The Truth about Cats and Dogs

As far as the cat's concerned, I wouldn't call this "love", I wouldn't even call this "like". When it comes to the dog, what I will call this is "respect". Whether that "respect" was for me and the rules of the house or for his sister is left only to my imagination. Needless to say it was a moment I was happy to have my camera on hand to capture the "drama" as it unfolded.
The cast of characters:
"Shelby" the Yellow Labrador,
"Bella" the reigning Queen of the House our cat.

"OK Mom, I know the vet said to have her eat next to us
to get her to accept us, but did you have to put her so close?"

"Wow, that actually smells real good!"

"Maybe if I just ignore her she'll go away and leave it there for me."

"Hmmmmm . . . , Do I eat her or do I go for that
awesome mouth watering food she's devouring?"

"This is just cruel Mom!"

"I'll just sneak a quick look, if I'm real
slow maybe she'll be nice and share."

"Mom, how much longer is this torture going to last?"

"I give up, I got to rest, the stress is killing me!"

"So Bella, can we make a deal here?"

"Never mind, I'm sure you're not interested anyway . . . "

Blogging on Blogger - now out of Beta!

When I started this blog I just wanted to share all I had learned and in that process hopefully help even just one other person improve their relationship with their dog. I hope that the information I have compiled here has helped someone do just that.

What I never considered would happen was this:
How cool is that! I speculated on how this happened here, but it wasn't until "Pappy's Fella" posted something similar that I even considered that a search for my dog's names, much less the terms "raising labradors" would give me back what I've worked on for the past 5 months. That's some Christmas present for me in my estimation.

As the "world wide web" continues to ebb and flow I look forward to riding the "waves". For now, to all my visitors - "Happy Surfing" to all of you. "Never Stop Learning" or "searching" as the case may be!!

"Nothing in Life is Free"

I recently came across some very good dog training articles. They are all presenting the dog training concept of "Nothing in Life is Free". This approach is one of the clearest simplest ideas I've seen. The idea makes so much sense on so many different levels I hope you will check it out. Living with a dog or dogs in your family should be a pleasure not a burden. If ever there was a simple owners manual that should come with every dog this would have to be it. Check out these links below:

• Nothing in life is free (pdf download)
• Nothing in Life is Free - Explained further!

On Dog Training in general

• Positive, Negative, Neutral

Even though NILIF is the least of what you should know when it comes to raising a dog it is the simplest starting point I've seen out there that can save even the most careless owner a lot of grief.

Jury Duty & The Home Alone Twins!

I've been proud of the fact that my dogs have been minimally destructive throughout the past 19 months. I've even bragged to family about how good my dogs have been. I've left them in the past for 6 hours at a time with access even to the inside of the house with no problem. And then along came this week - JURY DUTY!

I was assigned to be part of the jury pool for a murder trial - ugh!! The first day they sent us home in the morning, unfortunately telling us that we would likely go all week as the final jury was chosen. The next morning I was up and out before my husband and the dogs were out of bed. Fortunately I was close enough to the courthouse that I came home for lunch, only to find this most charming "artistic" rendering strewn across the entire surface of my driveway.

I was so frustrated I couldn't say a word. After standing dumbfounded for several seconds I opened my cell phone and pix messaged the above photo to my husband. I knew what he had done without him even telling me. He decided to take one of his garage mats and leave it for them to lay on so that they "could be comfortable". Obviously they had other creative ideas when it came to the grey foam mat.

The next morning he assured me that any overblown compassion he may have felt the day before was gone. I suggested that when he left he should bring out all their bones to keep them occupied. My morning in the jury pool was exasperating as the lawyers began to interview the first group of 18 chosen as jurors. Several were dismissed and as the noon recess approached I began to dread the next roll call. Sure enough I soon found myself in a jurors seat being interview by the defence attorneys. By the time the noon recess was called I was juror #2. I had very mixed feelings at this point as much as I was willing to do my civic duty I had no desire to spend likely over a month of my life being dragged through the details of the murder. I don't enjoy TV shows or movies of this nature and I certainly didn't want to have it in my face, real life with no ability to turn it off or change the channel. I would be a very long and hard month.

This was my state of mind when I arrived home to fine yet another artistic rendering strewn across my driveway. My hope of enjoying my lunch snuggled up with my dogs went up in flames. There before me lay another wasteland. And the source of their artistic medium hung pathetically in tatters.

What had inspired this was beyond me. It's not like the fence had magically turned into beef jerky but from the looks of things you would have thought is was. Their throw-up and their poop over the next 8 hours was proof that some bizarre delusion had over come them. More had been eaten then I dreamed possible given the complete lack of enticing flavor that wood could possibly have had.

Once again I spent my lunch cleaning instead of getting my mind off my morning. The return to the court room was a dread. Obviously our driveway was in much need of dog proofing, dog proofing that I thought we were well past at this stage. When the lawyers took up their juror questioning again it was hard not to be frustrated at the redundancy in their line of questioning with some of the potential jurors. After a five minute recess the judge called us back into the court room and the lawyers were given the opportunity to dismiss jurors. When the defense turned and thanked me and said I was excused I could have jumped out of my seat. I happily stood and floated out of the courtroom. I was done, and obviously the dogs and the driveway were better off for it.
I categorized this photo under Humor as someday soon I'll be able to laugh about this weeks foray into my dogs hidden Picasso talents.

Let's be honest about Labradors

Labradors are a challenging breed to own. Raising Labradors from 8 weeks old is even more challenging. Just when you think the worst is over, because they have stopped chewing everything in sight including you, they become "teenagers". If you make it through puppy adolescence with your sanity intact the full realization hits as to the extent of the commitment you've embarked on.

Please don't misunderstand me. I absolutely love my two Labradors. I wouldn't trade them for the world regardless of the challenges the last year and 1/2 have brought. I just think that it's very important to really consider what you're doing when you choose to bring a Labrador into your life.

My thoughts went in this direction after talking to a young woman at the park. She was in the area on chance and when she saw me and my Labradors out for some exercise and ball fetch time she stopped to let her dog get some wiggles out. As it turns out she was raised with a Labrador as the family pet. Of course, this Labrador was the ideal perfect temperament of a Labrador. When her mom got divorced they bought her a Labrador, this was her mom's Labrador she had with her. Unfortunately with the house a lot quieter, now that all the children were adults and no longer at home, this new addition to the family had been able to set all the rules. As the daughter told me the story I realized quietly to myself what a huge mistake they had made. Her mom was out of her element in setting limits and establishing good leadership for the Labrador, not to mention offering him good exercise. Than there was the fact that he was intact and even she admitted this made him harder to control if another dog was around. At two years old this Labrador's behavior was easily 8 months behind Shelby.

With this in the back of my mind I saw an article and it made me think that more people need to see the full picture when it comes to Labradors. The article is titled: "Labrador Retrievers: What's good about 'em, What's bad about 'em." Although I don't agree with everything mentioned in this article it is worth considering many of the points brought up before you decide on a Labrador Retriever as your next "family member."

If you find yourself reading this and saying, "too late - I've got one and they are part of the family now", please realize that the challenges I found in raising my two Labradors is why I started this blog. Hopefully this blog will help you find the answers you need to enjoy what in my opinion is one of the best breed of dogs.

What's really in pet food?

Have you ever wondered what is really in commercial pet food not to mention all animal feed? (That also includes the animals that become our own meat source at our table.) I did and before our dogs came home I did the following Google search:

"What's really in dog food?"

I learned a lot more than I'd bargained for. When it comes to dog and cat food the Animal Protection Institute has some disturbing things to say.
Get The Facts: What’s Really in Pet Food
Animal Protection Institute
[excerpt]

What most consumers don’t know is that the pet food industry is an extension of the human food and agriculture industries. Pet food provides a market for slaughterhouse offal, grains considered “unfit for human consumption” and similar waste products to be turned into profit. This waste includes intestines, udders, esophagi, and possibly diseased and cancerous animal parts.

Than there is the animal feed indusrty in general. Check out this disturbingly insiteful news video clip.

If your thinking, "well what do I feed my dogs than?", check out The Animal Advocate link here and in the sidebar. Also worth your time are the following books I've mentioned before.

• Dr. Pitcairn's complete guide to Natural Health for dogs and cats, by Richard & Susan Pitcairn
• The Complete Holistic Dog Book, by Jan Allegretti & Katy Sommers

You can also check out the back issues of "The Whole Dog Journal" to purchase the following excellent articles:

• How to Choose a Food
• WDJ's Top Canned Foods
• New Top Dry Dog Foods
• The Right Stuff
• Why We Like Whole Foods

I feed my dogs and cat Flint River Ranch, that being said it may not be the right fit for you and your pets. However, I hope that armed with the above information you will find a dog or cat food that you feel comfortable giving to your beloved "family members".

Updated 11/28/06
Here's a very informative article form "The Peeing Post", and editor Mogens Eliasen

• "How to avoid detoxification problems when shifting your dog's diet"

Our Holistic vet told us to include a handful of chopped salad with the new food and to make the switch in one meal. Although it worked for us at the time I am not sure it was the most ideal. Personally I just wanted my dogs off the commerical "garbage" that the breeder had unfortunately started them on at 3 weeks of age. The extra bulk/fiber from the salad I believe is what helped ease the diarrhea almost over night. This had been making the transition very difficult. The customer service person I contacted at Flint River recommended adding a heaping spoonful of cooked outmeal to the new food. This also worked very well and with in 2 months we were fine. Part of the picture was the dogs had just gone through spay and neutering surgery. The holistic vet recommended Milk Thistle for a month to help detox thier liver of the anesthesia. I recently read that Mild Thistle also works specificly in the intestines and is good for diaherrea bouts in general.

Home Sweet Home

There's nothing like coming back home to our beloved pets after 5 days away. We were fortunate enough to have a great young couple stay and house sit and care for our pets while we were gone. Even with this in place I was still anxious in the weeks leading up to our departure.

With everything we've worked through with their training, especially with Shelby, I was a darn proud "mom" when, prior to leaving we went to the park with the couple who would be caring for them, and Shelby made a smooth and obedient transition from me giving him the commands to them giving him the commands. I knew this was critical as without the assurance that he would obey them it would have been impossible for them to take the dogs out for good running and exercise at the park. I figured that if the dogs were mainly taken in the evening with there "Fetch & Flash" glow ball there would be very little chance of distraction from other dogs. This would avoid the possibility of Shelby taking off.

Well much to my pride and joy, by the last day our house sitting couple felt so confident with how good the dogs had obeyed they took them out mid afternoon. Despite several other dogs being around our dogs were mindful and obedient. I felt like a parent hearing about their child being named on the honor roll for their straight A report card. All that we've worked for, all the time we've put in had paid off. My dogs had learned the rules so well they were able to enjoy the freedom and fun of extended off leash play time even without me being there. What a huge milestone in their development. Of course it is also very true that they were in the best of hands and all went well.