Dog Gone Blog - The Dog Blog for Real Dogs

Like I needed another reason to dislike Mitt Romney

I mean, really, it's not bad enough that he did a complete 180 degree turn on his view of the issues from the time he ran for governor of my home state (Massachusetts) to the time when he decided - oh wow!  I'd like to be president... 

(Which was about a month into his governorship, as made clear by his reluctance to actually stay in the state he got elected in.  Why follow through with your promises to your elected state?  Why not start campaigning for that presidency immediately upon fooling the most liberal state in the country with your lies, right Mitty?)

But now there's news of animal abuse at the hand of ol' Mitt.

Oh?  You don't think this is abuse?  Then you tell me how anyone with even an ounce of compassion could strap a large Irish Setter in his crate to the ROOF OF A CAR for a TWELVE HOUR TRIP. 

Let me say that again:  A DOG.  Strapped TO THE ROOF.  Of a CAR.  For TWELVE HOURS.  In the SUMMER.

We already have a man with no brain running our country, do we really need a man with no heart stepping into the job of President?

Hey, Mitt, way to teach your boys a lesson in kindness.  "Emotion-free crisis management"?  How about complete indifference to life?

Unfortunately, the statute of limitations (15 years) is up and Romney can't be prosecuted for terrorizing his dog so badly that the poor animal completely lost control of his bowels.  And not just a little.  The poor dog was so sick the feces ran down the side of the car.   Now that's a lot of shit.

But not as much as you might find at any Romney for President rally.  Any person with half a brain could smell what he's slinging from a mile away.  Now that he's been exposed for being a fraud (with his flip-flopping on the issues) and a cruel bastard with no compassion for life, if this heartless jerk gets elected I'm moving to Canada.

At least I won't have to be strapped to the roof of a car to get there.

Thunder and Lightning and Fireworks, Oh My

This one's a doozy, and very timely.

Mayberry Mom writes:

"It's almost the 4th of July, and in our state fireworks are legal. That is very bad news for our pup. She is terrified of the sound (thunderstorms too). Rescue Remedy doesn't work. Should we get an rx from our vet or... anything else we can do for her?

She is a 9-ish year old shepherd mix."

Mayberry Mom isn't the only person to have asked this question.  I've received a number of emails with this same question - how to help a dog be less fearful of loud noises like thunder or fireworks.  Noise phobias are a fairly common but extremely tough topic to cover.  Every year dogs are injured or go missing after jumping through windows and screen doors trying to escape the horrible noise.  With the Fourth of July coming up soon and summer thunderstorms popping up constantly I wish I had an easy solution for you owners of dogs who have these fears.  But I don't.  Training a dog to be less fearful takes time and consistent training.

What owners like Mayberry need is an intensive desensitizing program for their dogs.  Time playing CDs of thunder and fireworks noises, enlisting the help of friends and family to make noises outside of the house (because the thunder and the fireworks?  They usually come from outside, not inside), and many, many treats.

(I'm being very simplistic when I say this.  It takes a bit more than what I just very quickly described.)

 

In the interest of full disclosure I will tell you that I have never had to desensitize any of my dogs to loud noises.  Most of my dogs came to me as puppies and as soon as I got them home I'd run the vacuum constantly, I'd play loud music, slam doors, and I never made a big deal out of thunder storms other than distributing the occasional treat.  I was also lucky that I got unflappable, "bomb-proof" dogs.   Some dogs are just more high-strung than others, mine just happen to be very laid back.  Lucky me, not so lucky you.  But I have worked with a number of dog owners with this same problem.  If you have a thunder or fireworks phobic dog you are not alone.

Fear is a very strong emotion, stronger than almost all others, and what a lot of owners don't realize is that they're actually teaching their dogs to be fearful in these situations.  Think about it, if your dog shows even the littlest amount of fear when a thunderstorm roles around what do you do?  Pet the dog and tell him it's okay?  Ooh, poor baby, you're scared?  Uh uh.  Babying your dog when they're fearful only acts as a reinforcement for that fear.  It flies in the face of everything we humans, especially parents, understand when it comes to helping the ones we love, but in this case you really need to think like a dog.

What you should do, for dogs who aren't too far gone, is treat a thunderstorm like it was a party or better yet like it was no big deal.  Thunderstorm?  What thunderstorm?  Dog is calm?  Throw him a cookie.   A thunderstorm!  That's pretty cool!  Cookies for everyone!  If your dog is getting coveted treats every time a loud noise happens there is a good chance he'll be looking forward to the next bang, pop or rumble.

However...

Not every dog can be desensitized.  Every dog is different and some just have a harder time than most, depending on their level of fear.  Here's a great article at Clicker Solutions that you should check out.  It will give you a taste of what you might be in for if your dog shows signs of noise phobia.

Here's another about that "babying" I mentioned earlier.  I'll warn you, it's all about classical and operant conditioning but it's well worth the read.  Bet you never even thought about how scientific dog training was, did you?

For the severely phobic dogs, talk to your veterinarian and explore some of the options out there for helping your dog.  Sometimes a prescription is necessary.  But beware of all the junk out there on the market for your scared dog because some of it is just that - junk.  I've never heard of a DAP Diffuser, for instance, working for a truly phobic dog.  Or Rescue Remedy for that matter.  Maybe they work for  a dog who just has a slight fear of noises, I don't really know.  I'm all for holistic approaches to caring for our dogs, and I'm not a scientist or a veterinarian, but if your dog is truly and severely phobic you might want to think about something like Xanax until you can spend some time properly training him.

Here's some more reading for you - An interesting, and timely article about thunderstorm phobias in dogs from USA Today. With some very good tips on how to keep your dog safe during a thunderstorm.

Until your dog is either desensitized (as much as possible) or medicated, find a nice quiet place in the house for him to hang out in with you nearby displaying just how uninterested you are in the thunderstorm or fireworks.  And stick to sparklers.  They're much less noisy.

Books I love on this topic:

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Congratulations to Elwood, this year's winner of the Ugliest Dog contest.

Can you believe the breeder was going to euthanize him because he was too ugly to sell?  Tragic.  I think he's a stunner.  Definitely a chick magnet.  Thankfully, Elwood found a wonderful home and now he's famous.  It just goes to show you, don't overlook that diamond in the ruff.

-------------------------

On a personal note, readers of my other blog know that over the weekend I lost one of my cats.  I'm hoping some kind family took him in, but I fear he may have wandered into someone's open shed or garage and got stuck there or worse (I can't think of that right now, too painful).  I have a long day of flyer making and distributing ahead of me and I'm not looking forward to engaging some of my more truculent neighbors.  This being New England we're not all the neighborly sort, if you get my meaning.

It's horrible to lose a pet, the worrying and the waiting is intense and draining.  Yes, I know I shouldn't let my cat outdoors but he loves wandering the neighborhood and he's lost a good deal of weight since he became an indoor/outdoor cat.  He was happy and healthy... and now he's gone.

I've found some great information on the web about what to do if you've lost a dog or cat so I thought I would include them here in case this happens to any of you - my 3 readers.

• Here's a very thorough list of steps to take if you've lost a pet. 
• This is another list from the Humane Society.
• And finally, a website recommended by the HSUS - Pets911.com.  A site dedicated to adopting and finding or reporting lost pets.

Happy Birthday, Lana

Lana, my black lab, is six years old today. 

We think today is her birthday anyway.  Details of her beginnings are fuzzy at best, but in the limited paperwork we have on her it was written that the 22nd of June was her day of birth so we're going with that.

Lana's life with us has not been easy in the four plus years since we adopted her.  She came to us an already flawed dog, though how flawed we wouldn't know for a few months after we brought her home.  A dog who had been through two other homes before settling into ours.  I suspect she came from a puppy mill or a backyard breeder who had money instead of breed standard in mind.  She's a beautiful animal with a coat so black it shines blue in the sun and soft like satin (funny that "lana" is Italian for "wool"), but physically she isn't "perfect" (quotes are intentional).  Long-legged but solid, she's large for a female - especially a female who was spayed at 6 months - she has a funny curl to her tail and her nose is a bit long.  She may not even be a hundred percent lab, but we'll never know for sure.  Throw a ball or get her near some water, however, and she's all Labrador Retriever.  That dog loves to get wet.

I don't talk a lot about Lana because, unfortunately, she's been a bit of an albatross around my neck.  Lana is a difficult dog with a wide array of issues:  separation anxiety, leash aggression, some dog aggression off-leash depending on the dog, fear of strangers, and a high prey drive just to name the biggies.  She's difficult to train, has spastic energy spurts, and never really relaxes.  Even now laying in front of me she's not really relaxed but has one eye open scanning the room.  I guess she's making sure everything is in order before she can close both of them.  If I get up she'll get up with me and if one of the cats so much as peeks its head out of the basement Lana will be up in a flash making sure it goes back down the stairs where she thinks it belongs.

Yes, she hates my cats.  Don't even get me started on that.

Lana does not fit into our lifestyle no matter how much I push and force, but two things keep me from giving up on her. 

One, my husband and I would have a very difficult time finding just the right home for her.  We're already her third family and, let's face it, who is better suited to having a dog like Lana than a dog trainer?  If I could find her a good farm to live on (for real, a farm not a farm, if you get my meaning.  I couldn't do that to her.) with a childless couple or a single man with lots of dog experience that would be the perfect scenario for Lana.  But situations like that don't present themselves too often.  I don't even know if I would give her up if I did find that perfect home.  Although, if you would have asked me yesterday I would have had her food dish and favorite lovie packed up and ready to go!

Second and most important, she's a love.  A total mush when you get to know her.  She's an 80lb lap dog and the perfect dog to have around for comfort and protection.  You wouldn't be able to get within 50 yards of my house without Lana letting me know about it.  And did I mention she loves to spoon?  She'll curl up her body on the ottoman in front of the couch and lie her head on the couch and I'll lie behind her using her like a body pillow.  Lana loves to snuggle, how can you not love a dog like that?

To care for a dog like Lana takes patience and understanding.  She drives me crazy but I understand it's not all her fault.  She tests me every day, and sometimes I fail, but to love Lana is to love her fiercely.  It's all or nothing, flaws and all.

I could write a book about my relationship with this dog (maybe one day I will) because our relationship is so complex.  Too complex to write in a single post.  But she's made me a better dog owner and certainly a better dog trainer.  I think on her special day she at least deserves a good swim in the pool and maybe some extra belly rubs.

Happy Birthday, Lana.  I love you despite it all.

Why should you be the only one stuck in a cube?

This Friday the 22nd is Take Your Dog to Work Day.  Started in 1999 by Pet Sitters International, this is the one day of the year that you might be able to convince that hard-a*s of a boss to lighten up a little and let you bring your pooch to the office.

Now, on the surface this may seem like a great idea, and it can be, but bringing your dog to work also has the potential to be a career ender.

(And, yes, I know I'm being a wet blanket but I'm trying to save you from being the office pariah so bear with me.  A bad experience with a dog in the work place can be worse for your career than stealing the boss's Kung Pao chicken from the office refrigerator.)

So I've compiled a list of do's and don'ts for TYDtW Day. 

Do:

• Get permission from the boss to bring your dog to work.  Don't just show up on Friday with Rover in tow without talking to the powers that be first.
• Bring your dog in on a leash.  I shouldn't have to say that but... Yeah.  I do.
• Have respect for your co-workers.  If you know that Sally has horrible pet allergies or Larry is afraid of dogs it's probably best to leave Rover at home.  If you do get the green light please make sure your co-workers are not being constantly bothered by a slobbery head in their laps every five minutes.  You should probably make sure the dog doesn't bug them either.
• Make sure your dog is well trained and listens well... And not just if you have a cookie in your hand.  I mean he knows his commands even if you don't have a liver treat dangling over his head.
• Make sure he has his I.D. tags and rabies tag on his collar.  You never know, he could slip away unnoticed when an elevator door opens in search of a hot Administrative Assistant.

Don't:

• Bring your dog to work if he is a habitual "marker".  It's hard enough to work in a cube farm without the walls of your work space reaking of urine.
• Bring your dog to work if he is a chronic jumper.  You don't want to have to pay for 25 dry cleaning bills, or worse, new work clothes for your co-workers.
• Bring your dog to work if he is a barker.  It's hard enough to get your work done with Margaret from accounting always stopping by your office for a "short" chat about her latest needlework project...  As a matter of fact, if your dog barks at all make sure you bring him over to meet Margaret.
• Neglect your work to care for your dog.  Make sure Rover has plenty of water, (quiet) chew toys, and food at the beginning of the day and take him out for periodic bathroom breaks, but don't play tug-of-war if you have a major upcoming deadline.  If your work suffers I'm fairly certain the boss will make sure you and everybody else isn't allowed to bring your dogs to work next year.  And let's face it, you're probably already shirking a few of your duties surfing the web.  You don't want to lose that luxury.
• Forget that this is supposed to be a special privilege.  Enjoy yourself and others will enjoy your dog too.

Parched pooch no more

When I find products that I really love I like passing them on to you, my three readers.  I love you all that much.

If you're tired of refilling your dog's water bowl over and over and over again you can keep the pooches well hydrated with fresh, clean, cold water with the Lixit Dog Waterer.

This product is so simple that it's brilliant.  Attach the Lixit Dog Waterer onto your outdoor faucet or garden hose and when your dog licks or nudges it he'll be rewarded with a cool drink of water (Get it?  Lixit?  Licks it?  Yeah).  And it shuts off automatically!  No more wasting water when your dog overturns his sun-warmed bowl in disgust or decides to take a swim in his just-refilled dish (ahem, Fisher.  The darn dog won't get in my pool but he'll go swimming in his water dish).

And the Lixit Dog Waterer is pretty cheap.  You can get a Lixit Dog Waterer through Amazon.com for $5.99! It will more than pay for itself over the course of one summer.

Responsible dog owners make good neighbors (a good fence doesn't hurt either)

Reader Julie has an interesting question regarding her neighbor's dog:

"They [the neighbors] have some sort of little toy dog... who has repeatedly dug its way into our yard, and even broken into our house via the cat door.  It's aggressive. Runs loose outside all the time, is regularly found some distance away or in the street, and frequently rushes up to our car when we arrive in our drive, whereupon it then leaps, jumps (and inadvertently scratches) the kids.  It's simply an untrained animal, which I find dangerous. I feel sorry for it, but don't want it running loose in my yard, tearing up my yard, or in my house, tearing up my house and kids.

I've spoken to my neighbor, who claims the dog is beyond her. She's gotten it a kennel but claims it chewed its way out, tried locking it in the utility room but claims it chewed its way out of there too.  She tells me it's not mean, and just tell it to go home and not worry.

In short, the neighbors in the neighborhood end up handling this dog all the time.Several of us want to do something but are unsure what to do and how to approach it. One neighbor loves this dog... This neighbor is willing to adopt this dog from the owner and train it properly.

Any advice?  Should we train it ourselves? Approach her about training? Approach her about the adoption?"

Neighbor problems are not my favorite thing to tackle, on my blog or in my life offline, but tackle them we must.  Julie has a neighbor problem of the worst sort - a neighbor who won't, either by choice or incompetence, control her dog.  The dog suffers, the neighborhood residents suffer, and, most importantly to me, the neighborhood kids could be in danger.

My advice to people who have neighbors like Julie's is to have a long, respectful talk with the owner of the dog in question.  Tell them your concerns, again in a respectful manner, and see if a compromise can be reached.  However, in Julie's case it sounds like that has already been done. 

I have seen little dogs who can seemingly escape from almost every confinement.  But something has to be done about this dog.  Training, of course, is the advice I have but it doesn't sound like the owner is willing to do that.  Another action has to be taken.  Time for plan B.  Plan B is not pretty.

Just because the dog is small that doesn't mean it isn't dangerous or that the dog itself isn't in danger.  I'd hate to hear that the dog was hit by a car, or attacked by a larger animal, just because the owner wouldn't step up and be responsible.  I'm afraid that the proper authorities have to be contacted, like the local dog officer.  I don't know what the leash laws in Julie's town are, but even if the leash laws are a bit lax the dog is a nuisance and needs to be handled.  Its damaging property and threatening children.

If the dog officer picks up the dog the current owner can get the dog back, but they'll have to pay a fee and provide proper documentation - like proof of rabies vaccination and a current valid dog license.  If this happens enough times the owner might get the hint, or the dog will be up for legal adoption.

The other neighbor whom Julie spoke of, the one who wanted to take the dog, could also approach the dog's owner and possibly come to a deal.  The other neighbor is willing to take the dog and train it in return for full ownership.  It sounds ideal but probably won't happen easily.

When handling any case like this it's best to keep talks as respectful as possible - I know I've said that already but you do still have to live near this person - but in the end you are responsible for protecting your family.  If the dog in question is dangerous you have the legal right to do something about it.

What would you do in this situation?  And, please, don't say "kick the dog".  It's okay to think it but, jeez, that's just wrong.

Hey, who you callin' "Fatboy"?

Believe it or not, this post has nothing to do with what your dog eats and everything to do with where he sleeps. 

I want one (Okay, two... Three?) of these Fatboy Doggy Beds in the worst way.  I'm tired of the same old/goes-with-nothing-in-my-house dog bed, I want something that's going to look good in my living room.  The Fatboy beds come in a wide variety of colors, they're perfect for the modern - and not-so-modern - home and they're made of a easy-to-clean nylon.  Just wipe it with a damp cloth to keep it looking new and your home looking less sloppy.

Sure, a Fatboy Doggy Bed is a splurge but isn't your dog worth it?  Isn't your decor worth it??

Fatboy Doggy Bed available at Hive for $99 (Small dog bed) and $139 (Large dog bed).

Is your child old enough for a puppy?

I was driving through a neighboring town the other day, taking my time through the quaint but bustling center, when my eye caught this sight:  A young mother - she was 26, tops, but I think she was more like 23 - pushing a stroller with a baby less than a year old seated in it.  She was using both hands to push the stroller but one hand also held a flexi-lead (don't even get me started on those contraptions), which was attached to a rambunctious Boxer puppy.   The pup was doing everything in his power to wrap that woman and her stroller in the unforgiving metal line of the flexi, which caused the woman to trip repeatedly and the stroller to tilt dangerously toward the street.  She would stop, unwind herself and her stroller, reign in her puppy, check her baby, and then start again only to repeat this process three steps later.

I smiled and I cringed.  Why would this young mother subject herself to raising a puppy and an infant at the same time?  Why would she want to subject herself to that?

I've got an idea or two.

It's a very romantic notion to get a puppy when your child is still so young.  After all, some think, shouldn't a child grow up with a puppy?  Wouldn't it be great for the two of them to grow and mature together?

In a word, no.

I'm frequently asked by would-be pet owners "When is the best time to get a puppy?" and "Are my children old enough?".  Dog Trainer and author Brian Kilcommons and Sarah Wilson recommend In their book Childproofing Your Dog:

"The best time to get a dog is after your child is age four, maybe even five if you want to raise a puppy. Younger children do not have the mental understanding or physical ability to be consistently gentle. If you have younger children and a dog, read the relevant sections and SUPERVISE! People sometimes want to get a new puppy when the child is an infant on the theory that they'll grow up together. Save yourself the stress and exhaustion—one baby at a time please!"

Based on my experience with dog owners I agree wholeheartedly - and why wouldn't I agree with an expert(??) - Kilcommons and Wilson know what they're talking about.  At four a child has the capacity to follow instructions, such as "Please stop pulling on the puppy's tail" and "Don't poke the puppy in the eye with that stick".  And they can help out with simple tasks like grooming and feeding the puppy.  Getting your children involved in caring for a puppy at that age will set your whole family up for easier times in the future.

I think back to the days when my daughter was a colicky newborn, and then a very needy infant, and now a demanding toddler.  I cannot even fathom training a puppy during any of these phases of her life, never mind exercising and socializing a puppy the way he or she would deserve and require.   I think the combination of the two, an infant and a pup, would have driven me off the deep end for sure.  And my daughter is not the exception to the norm.  I've got news for parents-to-be, with exception for the colic she is the norm.  Very young children are very demanding and so are very young puppies.

Puppies, much like babies, require supervision.  Lots and lots of supervision.  They also require, as I mentioned above, training and socialization.  When your toddler is climbing the bookcase at the same time that your puppy is jumping on the counter to steal your family's dinner, which one would you attend to first?

So, mothers and fathers of infants and toddlers, take my advice and do yourself a favor:  wait until your children are a bit older before you get that puppy.  Your children and your would-be dog will benefit from your patience - as will you.  You can thank me later.

 

Your Dog is Not Our to Get You - Part 2 digging and chewing

Okay, I'm done slacking off.  I promised you a part 2 to the "Your Dog is Not Out to Get You" post from over a week ago.  This time we'll talk about destructive behaviors, like digging and chewing.

I could go on forever about all the reasons your dog might dig or chew but the bottom line is this:  They're dogs.  They dig.  They chew.  Sorry, but it's part of their inherent dogness.  But those behaviors don't fit in with our lifestyles so we need to learn how to correct them.  Or better yet, stop them before they begin.

Bobita writes: "The [dog] only digs, rips [stuff] apart and shreds trees and shrubs when no one is in sight.  She seems to have it particularly out for me.  When she sees me and knows that she has committed some atrocity, she looks at what she has done, looks at me, cowers and then slinks away (likely because I have given her looks from the fiery depths of purgatory for each and every egregious act, accompanied by a whole slew of foul, yet appropriate, obscenities).

Why is Bobita's dog destroying things?  The key words in that first sentence are "when no one is in sight".  She has a young Labrador Retriever pup, a dog who is bred to be social and needs to stay close to his master and/or mistress.  The dog may have been bored and probably a bit anxious that her mistress left her outside by herself so she took it out on the trees and shrubs.  And not because they were of any importance but, possibly, because the dog had just seen Bobita digging around there herself.  The trees and the area around it may have had Bobita's scent on it, or the dog may have figured if her mistress was digging around there then it was good enough for the dog.  It looked like fun! 

These dogs really want to be with us.  To take your attention away is agonizing for these them, and not just labs but most other breeds as well. 

Let's concentrate on digging for a moment.  If your dog is digging out of boredom - exercise the dog.  A tired dog is a happy dog, after all.  Or give them an appropriate place to dig, like their very own dig box.  Make an area that looks a bit like a child's sand box.  Fill it with dirt and then hide things, like toys and biscuits, for them to find.  That's their reward for digging there.  Stand nearby and praise them when they've made a great discovery.  Discourage them from digging in other places and move them back to the dig box.  If you're consistent this should stop a lot of the digging.  However, the best way to stop a dog from digging, besides just exercise, is to keep the dog where she can be supervised.  If you can't stop her while she's in the act you've lost the opportunity to correct the behavior (just like eliminating in the house).  Keep her in the house with you or in her own kennel or crate.

Destructive chewing follows the same pattern.  Dog is bored or anxious = dog chews and destroys.  Is there a rhyme or reason to it?  Maybe, maybe not.  If you have a destructive dog it's best not to leave them unsupervised with free reign of the house.  Consider a crate or a safe place in the house where they can be gated off from the rest of the rooms.  Give the dog a stuffed Kong or a treat ball (I love that product almost as much as I love the Kong and you can order it through this page - see below) to keep them occupied.  I will never understand why dog owners insist on letting their dogs roam the entire house when they're not there when the owner knows the dog is destructive.  If your dog has eaten the couch cushions it's time for another plan of action, don't you think?  And exercise, exercise, exercise!  Exercise is good for helping stop most problem behaviors.  I can't emphasize that enough.

It certainly isn't too late for Bobita and her puppy.  A steady routine of exercise, training, and supervision and that pup will turn out to be a fantastic dog.  And yours will too!