dogs – Page 7 – Next Best Pet

Training—This Time with Squirrels

December 14, 2015December 13, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

My husband and I refer to this time of year1 as "ground squirrel" season because of the number of squirrels we see in our neighborhood hanging out under trees; dashing across the street, seemingly as close to our dog as possible; and generally making a nuisance of themselves. Most of the year, when the squirrels are hanging out in the trees, Sirius Black will ignore them. However, when there are thirteen squirrels hanging out under a tree a few feet from where we are walking, ignoring them becomes a lot harder for him. Instead, he thinks it would be a good idea to chase them. Barking at them is also a good alternative. (Barking is also his reaction to sheep, deer, and geese that are not where they belong.) There are a few ways to deal with this: I can resign myself to being spun around like a top by an almost-fifty-pound Border Collie mix barking and pulling.2 I can take advantage of this...

Giving Thanks for Dogs and Pie

November 23, 2015November 22, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

I love dogs. And pie. The presence of both dogs and pie in my life are things I am definitely grateful for as Thanksgiving draws near. Like many Americans, my Thanksgiving will be full of dogs and pie and a number of other food items that are definitely Not For Dogs (NFD for short). That makes this the perfect moment to discuss how to keep our dogs safe this Thanksgiving. I have talked before about dogs at parties, but Thanksgiving has a few differences from other parties. Most of the guests are often family members. In my experience, family members can be some of the hardest to convince to follow your rules. So make your rules clear and explicit in advance. And make sure they are followed. Lots of food. Admittedly, a lot of parties have food, but Thanksgiving has some extra-delicious and very not-dog-safe food items. Like turkey bones. And pie. Not to mention, a lot of food that may be served in...

On Being a Dog

November 16, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

Fall is one of my favorite times of year, and one of Sirius Black’s as well. This is not a coincidence. The weather at this time of year is perfect for us, not too hot and not to cold, like Baby Bear’s porridge, and, like Goldilocks, we like to take advantage of it, usually by hiking. We try to go hiking year round, but our best hikes are usually in the spring and fall. This fall has been perfect. A few weeks ago, we spent a day on a glorious 8-mile hike with beautiful views and great leaves. I know long hikes are not for every person, or every dog, but this is there is something Sirius and I get out of these hikes that everyone should be looking to find a way to get with their dog: a chance for Sirius to be a dog and to be completely comfortable in the world he’s living in. Sirius is a rescue dog who...

Quiz Time!

October 20, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

Pop quiz! Scenario 1 You are trying to cutback in sweets. You walk into the breakroom at work and find a large platter of your favorite dessert sitting in the middle of the table. The sign next to them says: "Help yourself." Do you Say, "Thank goodness!" And grab a large helping? Say, "No thanks," and sit down a few seats down to eat your healthy snack? Say, "Uh-oh" and walk out of the room before you can give in to temptation? Scenario 2 You check your receipt and realize the store clerk overcharged you by a few cents. Do you March back into the store and loudly demand things be made right? Quietly approach the customer service counter, explain what happened, and request a refund? Shrug and decide it is not enough money to waste time on? The way you answer these questions depends on your personality and personal circumstances (health, finances), but it also depends, more than we sometimes like to admit on our mood and what else has...

Good-bye, Old Friend

October 16, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

This post is almost two weeks late for one simple reason: I didn't want to write it. By writing this post, I am acknowledging that I have lost a friend. A young dog who only a short time ago seemed so healthy, is gone. I don't want to dwell on the negatives, instead, I am trying to remember the good times we had walking, visiting, and watching her play with Sirius Black. And I think that is the right approach. Loss is something we live with in life, especially when we share our lives with pets, who are typically shorter-lived than we are. Of course, the sense of tragedy is increased when one dies so young. But there is nothing to regret in a well-lived life. And there is nothing to be sorry for when we know we have done everything we can for the animals in our lives. So, I propose a toast for my late friend, "It was a privilege to know you....

5 Things You Can Do to Be a Courteous Dog Walker

September 28, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

Summer is over. Everyone is back from vacation. The weather is cooling off. You know what this means? That's right, dog walkers are back! Over the last few weeks, I've observed that spots that were nearly empty all summer long are filled with families and dogs all trying to enjoy the last of the warm weather and sunshine. I am right there with them. Unfortunately, along with more people come more potential problems. So, what can you do to minimize problems for yourselves and your neighbors and make sure everyone has the best possible walk? Leash your dog. I know, I know, your dog is friendly, or well-trained, or [your description here], but—unless you are walking in an area where off-leash walking is explicitly allowed—do everyone a favor and keep your dog on a leash. Why? Because you never know when the unexpected will happen: a loose dog, a family of deer running across your path, or a family whose children are afraid of...

Practicing for Real Life

September 8, 2015September 6, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

I am going to admit this: I don't really like cleaning, especially vacuuming. Fortunately, there is a lot less vacuuming required by the hardwood floors of my current house than in some of the carpeted apartments I have lived it. Less, but not none. Sirius Black, like many animals, highly dislikes the high-pitched motor of the vacuum. We've worked on desensitization, so he is no longer afraid of it, just uncomfortable around it. Unfortunately, unlike Nefertiti, who also dislikes it, he won't head for the farthest reaches of the house when he sees me pull it out. Instead, he tends to lie down somewhere close where he can watch me. Most often, the spot he chooses is right on the rug or floor I am planning to vacuum. This is where training for real life has it's moment to shine. I have written before about training relaxation and down on a mat. I teach this exercise in all my classes and to most of...

What’s in a Tail?

August 24, 2015March 21, 2016 by lennearbNo Comments

I was walking Sirius yesterday, and someone complimented his tail. This happens frequently—it is an amazing tail—and wouldn't be worth mentioning, except for what she said next: "What a great communication tool." I'll admit it. I just stared at her in dumbfounded silence for a moment and then kept walking. Why was I so taken aback? Because Sirius's tail is one of his worst communication tools, at least when it comes to communicating with new dogs, and has, in fact, caused him trouble on multiple occasions. Let's start with a word about body language. Dogs communicate through vocal signals, of course, but they depend much more heavily on body language. (If you want to learn to better understand dogs, you can't do better than to start with body language.) Tails, both in movement and position, are one form of this body language. A very broad brush explanation of tail position follows. Dogs have a neutral or resting position, which is where they characteristically...

Dress for Success, Part 3: Leashes

August 12, 2015August 12, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

6 word blog post: six foot leather or fabric leashes. I was seriously tempted to leave this post at that, since that is my best advice by far, but I eventually decided to add a few details. Length Four to six feet is a good standard length for most purposes.* Shorter leashes are okay for some uses, but they almost always end up being too short for others. It's easier to hold lower on the leash when you need to than to have multiple leashes for different occasions. Long lines, or multiple six foot leashes hooked together are great for long-distance training if you don’t have a secure area or you want to take your practice on the road. Never retractable leashes. They break, they get tangled, and they reinforce pulling on the leash. Material Fabric or leather. I prefer solid materials, but if you are going for that fancy design, make sure to check it is coupled with solid construction. The width of the...

Dress for Success, Part 2: Harnesses

August 6, 2015 by lennearbNo Comments

When I first started working in shelters as an adoption counselor, long before I was teaching, our standard advice was that small dogs should be walked on harnesses to protect them from trachea damage, and that large energetic dogs should be walked on "no-pull" harnesses to help their owners manage pulling. I carried that advice with me when I started training, but over time, I have gradually expanded my recommendations in favor of harnesses. I now recommend them for nearly all dogs, but especially energetic dogs, reactive dogs, and dogs that are strong enough to pull the people that walk them in directions those people don't want to go. I mentioned above that "no-pull" harnesses manage pulling, and I think it is important to emphasize the difference between stopping and managing a behavior. Managing a behavior is like putting the trash into a cabinet: the dog can't reach the trash, but he doesn't learn anything about not going through trash that's available....

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