“Oh boy! We are going for a ride in the car! That always means something fun! I love running and playing! I especially like the river! “Oh boy! Here we are! Look at this big space for me to run! I hope mom brought treats, too! It’s so fun to play that ‘come’ game where she calls my name, and when I get to her she gives me treats! I love that game so much!
Right now, I have a lovely black German Shepherd guide dog that I trained for a blind woman 4 years ago. She is back to me to help her stop barking at other dogs. Why does she bark at other dogs? She was attacked by a pit bull in a grocery store about a year ago and now her blind owner can’t use her anymore. This isn’t a comment about pit bulls, it’s a tragic tale of how a fake service dog can destroy another, fully trained service dog in a flash of a second.
We all know how incredibly important early baby experiences are for human children. We have wonderful mobiles for them to watch while in their cradle. We leave beautiful lights twirling around the room at night, play music for them to listen to when they sleep and read to them every chance we get.
Since our recent mountain lion attacks upon dogs in the valley, I go out with my dogs every time they are outside. Even during the day, a few weeks ago, there was a mountain lion spotted and captured on video just 2 blocks from my home! Even though I own big dogs, I am very cautious and so are most all dog owners throughout the valley.
So often, we take our puppy to a puppy class that lasts from 4 to 8 weeks, and then feel we have done what we need to do to teach our pup skills for a life time. While that class or private instruction is imperative to having a well behaved dog, it is only part of the equation.
I love my dog so much, she is my Fur Baby! This is anthropomorphism. What is anthropomorphism? It is humanizing dogs. Dogs are NOT furry humans. The media and pet suppliers, the dog training community and dog care specialist have begun to refer to dogs as “fur babies”, or “fur children”. Not a day goes by that we don’t see dogs in clothes that make them look like little children. I posted a photo on the Positive Puppy FaceBook page that had a Weimaraner with painted toenails and a bracelet on her leg.
What is a gateway behavior? It is any behavior that leads to more destructive behaviors and even aggression. What might seem like a simple or even cute dog behavior may, in fact, be leading to more very undesirable behaviors in the future. It can be very difficult for anyone to anticipate where a behavior might go - unless they have had years and years of experience with a multitude of dogs.
NO! It’s not a carry along poop bag although having poop bags is a MUST! A “Go Bag” for your dog is a bag that you can put all of your dog related training and first aid equipment in. It should be monitored regularly to be sure you have what you need so you are never anxiously looking for something AFTER you have left the house.
So many of my clients, if not all, have asked me what to do about other dogs that will “mug” their dog while out recreating. What is mugging? It is when a loose dog runs up to another dog, full speed and gets into the first dog’s space. Yes, dogs do have spatial needs just like people. This is especially true of herding dogs such as Aussies, Border Collies, German Shepherds and many others since they use their space to push livestock in the correct direction. How would you feel if someone you didn’t know came up to you and hugged you and kissed you, or yelled at you? I sure wouldn’t like that.
It is now February 2023. This month the American Heart Association makes a special effort to help educate women about heart disease. Since I am a survivor of a heart attack, I really feel committed to sharing this story AGAIN because it DOES p
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
