When I was a kid, it was extremely rare to see homes with more than one dog. In fact, we were the only people in the neighborhood to have a dog! Now, it is common place to have at least two dogs if not more. I have been living with multiple dogs for 25 years. We learn a lot about dog behavior if we keep our eyes open and look through a dog’s eyes instead of our human eyes.
Recently, I was working with a young puppy in town. We were practicing friendly greetings with people with no jumping. Along came two HUGE male dogs at least twice the size of the puppy. They were off leash but with electronic collars so I assume the owner of the two huge dogs felt he had control of them. The two huge dogs surrounded the puppy, sniffing and putting their heads over the pup’s shoulder.
I have a very strong opinion about dogs that mouth people, even if it is in play or because of youth. Imagine yourself visiting my house. You come in and my 95-pound BIG German Shepherd, Brinx decides to put his mouth on your arm! Most people would absolutely be terrified!
It is almost uncommon to find dog households with only one dog. When I grew up, no one had more than one dog. The love, indeed, has become a delight for so many of us! I know for me that when I lose one, I am so grateful to have another one at home to soothe my broken heart.
Many people still question whether dogs learn from each other or not. Over and Over, I have seen dogs learn both good and bad from other dogs. About 7 years ago, I had puppy here for training as a service dog. His name was Rainier. Rainier came here from Washington with his breeder, Sharon.
Everyone walks their dogs. Many take advantage of that time to catch up on phone calls or chatting with fellow walkers. Many times, our walks turn into “our” walks instead of a walk for the dog. That can be a good thing, too! It can be the only break in an otherwise stressful day for us! I am always refreshed after taking a walk with my dog(s)!
Most of us make play dates with other dogs, especially for our puppies so they learn how to interact appropriately with other dogs. While this is a GREAT idea, many times, playtime teaches dogs to become nuts and uncontrollable around other dogs! One of the biggest concerns people call me about is that their dogs “come” very well, EXCEPT WHEN THEY SEE ANOTHER DOG!
This is a topic most people never talk about or never think about when getting a dog. We tend to look at how cute the dog is and how much we want a dog in our lives. It’s hard to think about our dog outliving us. As a responsible dog owner, long range planning really is a part of getting a dog in the first place. When contemplating getting a new dog, there are many considerations such as how old we are, what our health is, and what our living circumstances are.
Halloween has come and gone along with the ghosts and goblins. But, the fever to dress and groom our dogs up has not left so quickly! All the major pet store chains carry every imaginable dog costume around! Soon, it will be Thanksgiving and Christmas costumes! How incredibly cute our dogs look all dressed up for the festivities!
It is of HUGE importance that puppies remain on a leash until they have a flawless recall. In puppy development, almost all puppies are pre-programmed by Mother Nature to follow the leader until they are approximately 19 weeks old. That can lure us into believing they have learned how to come when they are called. However, at this critical time of 19 weeks or so, they begin to feel confident and will start to look at you as if to flip you the paw!
AFTER AN EXTENDED MEDICAL LEAVE, I WILL BE RETURNING TO WORK MARCH 1st!
