Naughty Dog's Day

Quick Fix: Counter Surfing

    Maybe you have one of your own.  A counter-surfing devil of a dog who can seemingly levitate to reach things you thought were well beyond temptation.  They can devour entire loaves of bread, including the wrapper, in seconds.  That tempting lemon pound cake or tomorrow's breakfast croissant  - gone, just like (snap fingers) that!

    Believe it or not, there is a quick fix for this problem.  You may need to repeat it a time or two to get the message across, but it's never failed me (well, only the once, and Tug really is a very determined counter surfer, and quite agile.  He simply hops up onto counters or the kitchen table and ambles daintily along, all 100 lbs. of him).

    The method is simple. 

• Find yourself a nice big unbreakable bowl (stainless is great) or plastic bucket.
• Fill to the brim with empty pop cans.
• Tie a string to the bowl or the handle of the pail.
• Tie something your dog finds absolutely irresistible to the string.  Hot dog, cheese, cookie...doesn't matter as long as your dog loves it.
• Place the bait close enough to the edge of the counter that your dog won't be able to pass it up.
• Leave the room, looking as innocent as possible.  Retire to your lair to lie in wait for the big crash.
• Go to your dog, acting very kind and concerned.  He did this to himself, remember?  You want him to think you had NOTHING to do with it. Ask "What happened, Buddy?"  Then "notice" the mess, point to it and say,in your best guilt laden voice, "Did you do that?  You're very bad!"  Don't yell, be quiet but firm.
• Repeat experiment, maybe the next day, using a different tasty tidbit.  Your goal is to make Buddy think that no matter what is up there, no matter how tasty and seemingly unattended, it is attached to a big, scary can monster. 

    That's why, until Buddy is at the point where that tasty chunk of cheese can sit there all day, untouched, it's doubly important to make sure that you just do not leave anything out for him to snag without suffering the repercussions. That teaches Buddy what's called a "variable schedule of reinforcement".  It STRENGTHENS a behavior.  If your dog gets occasionally rewarded for grabbing something off the counter (he gets to eat it), he figures out that if he keeps trying, eventually he'll get that reward.  Great.  Now it's a game.  It'll take you forever to get rid of it.

On-Leash Dogs

Off leash play is great.  Killian, Bruce, and Zachary love hanging out together.  Even though it looks ferocious, these guys are having a great time.  Never a bad moment is had by any of them.  If you look closely you can see that none of them is wearing a collar.  I firmly believe that dogs should play "naked".  Dogs have died from broken necks while playing with collars on, even with their owner's present.  All it takes is a moment for one dog's canine tooth to get caught on another dog's collar, one wrong move, especially if one dog is much larger than the other, and a life can be lost. 

On leash play is not so great.  I realize that most people aren't as steeped in dogs as I am.  I'm sure there's a small segment of the Ann Arbor population who thinks I'm just not a very nice person.  Why?  Because I don't let my dog's greet other dogs while we're on walks. Here's why.  Until very recently, when I was walking my personal dog's there were three of them. Fable, an elderly Leonberger with spinal cancer who has since gone on ahead , Tug, a pit bull/bull mastiff mix, and Whimsy, a pit bull mix I rescued last summer who is recovering from a host of health problems.  Here are two examples of recent incidents.  I'm walking my on-leash dogs around Elbel Field.  Coming towards us is a guy walking his dog, which I realize is off-leash.  I ask him to call his dog, please.  Too late.  The guy's comment, as his dog runs over, leaping onto my sick, old dog, knocking her down and making her scream in pain (spinal cancer, remember?), which causes Tug, who can be leash aggressive and was very bonded to Fable, to immediately go on the attack and attempt to eat the loose dog was "Oh, he's friendly!".  Meanwhile, previously abused, neglected, sick Whimsy is cowering on the end of her leash threatening to back out into the traffic on Hill St.  "Oh, he's friendly".  I've had people say that to me before, and really, it ranks right up there on the "dumbest comments ever" list.  So your dog is friendly.  So what.  Maybe mine isn't.  Tug doesn't like every dog he meets, especially when he's on leash.  But if he does like your dog the first thing he does is turn into a 110 lb. play bowing, whirling dervish, which immediately makes me picture leash entangled broken legs or worse.

One other day, approaching the park parking lot after a walk with Tug and Whimsy, a gentleman, being walked by a large Golden Retriever who was tugging at the leash, panting and slobbering,  seemed to be coming right at us.  As he gasped "He just wants to say"Hi!", I realized that yes, he WAS coming right at us.  I said, "Sorry, these guys are working on their CGC (Canine Good Citizen Award - a test of manners in companion dogs), they're not allowed to say "Hi" on leash.  Which is true.  When testing for the CGC, your dog is required to allow another person walking a dog to approach and shake your hand while remaining seated at your side.  It's also a great defense.  Because that dog was obviously completely out of control.

Call me jaded.  Call me worse.  I'm tough, I can take it.  Because my first concern is my dogs.  My second concern is for both you and your dog.    Dogs should behave on leash.  They should be able to walk right by another on-leash, or even loose, dog without blinking an eye (OK, maybe they'll give them the eye, but they'll keep walking politely).  It's called having manners.  It makes you and your dog look cool.  It makes it easy to walk down a crowded street.  It keeps everybody safe and healthy, because you can't assume that the dog you're so eagerly approaching doesn't have something brewing (like parvo), or isn't loaded with worms.  And it makes everybody happy.  Walking down the street, having a little sniff and greet is easy if you're walking one dog.  Try it when you're walking 2.  Try it when you're walking 5, like I frequently do. Not so much fun now, is it?

The bottom line is that dog's need contact with other dogs.  They're social beings and can't live a life without it anymore than you could live a life without the contact of other humans.  But give them that connection by finding them a buddy.  Taking them to daycare.  Going to a dog park, if you feel comfortable doing that.  While it's easiest to just say "Oh, he's so friendly, he's just got to say "Hi" to every dog he meets", it just isn't true.  So put some effort into it.  Teach your dog to walk nicely on a leash, to respect both you and everyone around him by being an upstanding member of canine society.  It'll be good for both of you, keep everybody safe, and really strengthen the bond you have with your dog.      

Cutest Ugly Girl Ever

This is Whimsy.  Also known as the "cutest ugly girl ever", Piglet, and Pinky, Whimsy is a pit bull.  She is one great dog.  I worry every day about how long she'll be with me, even though she's only nine months old. 

Whimsy came to me Aug. 4, 2007.  She was four months old and in very sorry shape.  I had known her as "Princess".  She came into a veterinary clinic I was working at in June.  I took one look and fell in love with this poor little puppy.  Itchy, covered with sores, she still had a happy face, pathetic though she was.  We started treatment for sarcoptic mange, dispensed antibiotics, and sent her home with instructions to come back the following week.  They did.  That was the last we heard of her until the clinic received a call from the Humane Society of Huron Valley in July, after her owner was reported due to her poor condition.  Had the HSHV taken her, she would have been euthanized.  Despite the awesome work they do there, they would have had no choice, since she had a difficult to treat, contagious infection that could have spread to the entire shelter, affecting both dogs and cats.  Silly me, I just couldn't let that happen.  I talked to the investigator on the case, a great guy named Matt.  He was willing to work with me to try to save this poor pup.  I didn't want another dog.  I really, really didn't want another dog.  After talking to her owner's and believing them when they said they really loved her, it was just that they had no money, I agreed to drive to their house on the south side of Ypsilanti on a weekly basis to treat her, if her owner would just give her the antibiotics that had been prescribed. My goal was to keep her in her home. 

Well, after two weeks of trying to treat her in their home, I received a call from her owner saying he "didn't know if she had been poisoned or what, she just wasn't moving much anymore.  Would I come get her?"  I went that night to pick her up. Pulling into their driveway, there she was, 30' from Grove Rd., loose in the driveway.  She walked slowly to me, wagging her tail.  At this point she was covered with weeping sores from head to toe.  She was missing most of her hair.  Her belly and the insides of her legs were covered with hundreds of small pustules.  All her lymph nodes were enlarged ("puppy strangles").  Her eyes were running.  In addition to the sarcoptes, her overwhelmed immune system had allowed demodex, a mite all dogs have naturally, to take over. And she stunk.  Boy, did she stink.  Her owner handed me the antibiotics I'd brought for her.  In 2 weeks, they'd given her a total of 3 of them. Sitting in a crate beside me on the way home, I told her over and over that I would help her while she gazed at me with intense brown eyes set in an "elephant man" head. 

It's been 5 months since I brought Whimsy home. I can't remember why I didn't want another dog, because she is my "Mary Poppins" dog - practically perfect in every way. She is much improved, although she'll never be 100%.  She'll always be our black and white and pink girl, since I think she has about 1 hair for every 5 a normal dog has.  Her skin, especially on her face, is thickened and wrinkly, and always will be.  The scarring has partially blocked her tear ducts, so she needs artificial tears. Although she is healing, her immune system is still compromised, and any little scratch or scrape seems to turn into an infection. Injections, twice weekly baths, eye meds, so many pills that when she saw me coming with one she'd yawn, so you could pop it right down, through it all she was a trooper.  She's a good, good girl, who, since I live on a corner with a lot of pedestrian traffic, instantly found herself with a large group of supporters who've cheered every improvement she's had, and commiserated with every setback.  Who knows, with all her problems, how long she'll be with me?  I don't care.  I'm just determined that for as long as she is, her life will be the best I can give her.  Playing here with her best friend, Olive, she seems happy, don't you think?

There are so many "Whimsy's" out there.  And there are so many ways to help. Even if you don't have room for one in your home, maybe there's room for one in your heart.  Call your local shelter.  They always need volunteers. If you don't want to volunteer, ask them what's on their  "wish list" of items they need and go shopping. Whatever it is you can do, just do it.  Every little bit helps.

    

Lucky Puppy Bake Sale

How lucky is your dog?  She has a warm bed, enough food, medical care, a person who loves her, at the very least.  So many dogs don't.  So many are waiting for homes.  Watching people come and go,  maybe hoping that today will be their day. Even worse are the ones who sit chained to dog houses in all kinds of weather, hungry, maybe physically abused in addition to the neglect, the one's who wander the streets, or die trying to survive.  The ones who have given up hope.  Lucky you, you can help! 

We're hosting a bake sale with a twist at the Naughty Dog Cafe.  We're baking up a mountain of fresh, healthy, all-natural treats for dogs, cats, horses, wild and cage birds, and we'll even have a few treats for people, too.   We're donating all...100%!...of the proceeds from this sale to our local shelter, the Humane Society of Huron Valley!  So, not only will you feel good because you're making life a little bit better for a not-so-lucky puppy, your dog (cat, bird, or horse) will feel VERY lucky, having delicious treats to snack on.

Check out the link to the right under "Upcoming Events" for all the details, and then tell all your friends so they can come too. 

Working and puppies

"Be careful what you wish for" - we've all heard the phrase, and that's what came to mind when I received a call from a good friend today, who had finally gotten the puppy she's wanted for oh-so-long.  Under the tree on Christmas morning sat an 8 week old, 22 lb., cute, fluffy Leonberger (same as the long coated dog in the picture above).  Being a U.M. employee, it's been great, she's had some time off, and is due back to work on Monday.  They've been working on housebreaking and crate training, frolicking in the snow, taking naps together on the couch, it's been pretty idyllic...but Monday looms, and panic is descending.  What is she going to do when she's gone all day?  Maybe you're in this position as well.  At some point, dog lover's almost always have to deal with a puppy in the house, unless you're like  a friend of mine who only adopts adult dogs.  If you work, and there's no one at home all day, what do you do?  It's just not fair to leave a puppy under the age of 6-8 months in a crate for more than about 4 hours.  They're bored, frustrated, and physically uncomfortable if they need to relieve themselves.  Plus, puppies this age really need to have a mid-day meal, and unless you have a bowl that snaps onto the side of the crate, and a  puppy who isn't a water dog, they need a drink. 

If you're able to go home at lunch - that's great!  Let your puppy out, feed it, give it some loving, and you're all set.  But if you're like most of us, this isn't the case.  Luckily, there are other options.  Maybe you have a neighbor who'd be willing to help you out for a small fee.  As long as they're reliable, this is an OK option.  There's also dog daycare (a shameless self-plug) which is an excellent option.  Your puppy will get plenty of time to play with other dogs, some have yards where the dogs can play, others rely strictly on walks to get the dogs outdoors, some, like mine, do both.  Most offer training, some have packages where you bring your dog daily for a certain period of time, and they help crate train and house break.  Many offer grooming, transportation to the vet for appointments, and overnight boarding.  Giving your puppy its lunch is no problem.  Plus, you get the added benefit of being able to pick up a tired, happy puppy who has had a fulfilling day, and is looking forward to going home for dinner and a nap.  Expect to pay 20 - 25 dollars a day for this type of service.  Even if you take your puppy only one or two days a week, the benefits are tremendous. 

 

 

Urban Dog's Life: Dog Parks

Not a week goes by that someone doesn't ask me what I think of dog parks.  The best answer I can come up with is..."It depends on the dog".  Some dogs thrive on running with a large pack, are tolerant of different play styles, and look forward eagerly to every visit.  Other dogs would rather just play one on one with their person or another four legged buddy or two.  Personally, I don't take my dogs to any of Ann Arbor's dog parks.  Does that mean I never will?  No.  But I've spent enough time around dogs, and seen how quickly the tide can turn from play to fight, to feel comfortable amongst a large pack of unknown dogs and owners who may or may not be experienced dog people.  Here are some basic guidelines to playing it safe if you choose to take your dog to a dog park.

• Leave the latte and chatting for a trip to the coffee shop, and keep an eagle eye on your dog and the dogs in her immediate vicinity.  Mayhem seems to be the order of the day at most dog parks.  Be prepared to step in if a situation seems to be escalating from friendly play to a brawl. 
• Not everyone will keep their sick dog at home.  Your dog runs a greater risk of coming into contact with a wide variety of diseases, as well as internal and external parasites.  Watch for fleas, and have your vet check a stool sample for internal parasites on a regular basis.  If any of the dogs look under the weather, go home and come back another day.
• If your dog runs up to you, a group of rowdy dogs at his heels, he may be hoping for some intervention.  This is the time to redirect the group, with owner's stepping in and calling their dogs to them, and cool things down. 
• Watch for "predatory drift".  This is the escalation from play to attack, and can occur in the blink of an eye.  This is why I would never take a small dog to play with a group of much larger dogs.  High pitched barks, small size, quick movements.  All of these can flick the switch from pal to predator.  And anyone who's seen it happen will tell you that once one dog starts, frequently others join in.  This often spells death to little dogs.  Some of the signs that a dog is entering predator mode are: staring, being up on his toes, raising the hair on his neck and back, tail raised and curving forward, taking measured steps while focusing on one particular dog.
• Predatory drift is also the reason I feel dog parks aren't really the place for kids, but if you take yours along, keep them close by.  Running, yelling, rolling around on the ground...all of these say "prey" in dog speak, and not all the dogs at the park will be accustomed to having children around.
• Be it human or canine, there's always at least one bully in every crowd.  Don't let your dog be the victim - or the bully.  If your dog is spending most of its time on the ground, being humped, being chased with the other dog nipping at its heels, step in.  Likewise, if your dog is the offender, step in and call your dog to you.  Take it off to the side to settle down a little before rejoining the group.  These dogs are frequently the type who guard food and toys, so it's a good general rule to keep these items at home.
• Adult dogs don't always appreciate the antics of puppies.  At the dog park you're likely to have dogs of all ages.  Don't let your puppy harrass an adult dog in the unmerciful way puppies have.  Let her test the limits of good canine etiquette with other puppies.  The adult may discipline your puppy to an extent that horrifies you and puts a permanent fear of other dogs into your puppy.
• Many dogs "age out" of dog parks.  Depending on the breed, as your dog matures a trip to the park may not give her the same thrill it once did.  Be sensitive to her feelings.  This might be the time to find her a pal or two with similar play style and a fenced yard for her to burn off some of that excess energy and socialize a little.  If your dog has entered the geriatric phase, joint or other pain makes play less fun.  Again, follow your dog's lead, and let her guide you to the activities she really enjoys.

Dog parks can be a great experience, letting your dog burn off excess energy and go home with a big happy grin on his face.  They can also be a nightmare, if things go awry.  Use common sense, keep an eagle eye on your dog, and be ready to step in before things get out of hand. That way, everybody will have fun!