Tonight Is Halloween, Is Your Dog Ready?

So, the day is here. I recommend doing a once over of your preparations to ensure your dog is safe. And I would assume people will set off fireworks tonight, as well. 

Plan accordingly... 

Staying Out Of Trouble With Dogs And Strangers

So, here is a thought for the day... There are some dog owners and dog haters who are hotheads.

Think about what is important in your life and what isn't. Don't provoke fights. Walk away from trouble when you can. And plan accordingly.

Young Girl Tries To Kiss Dog, Gets Mauled

Young girl left with horrific injuries after being mauled by family dog when she tried to kiss it

There are a number of safety rules I teach parents. One is: don’t let kids kiss your dog, especially on the lips or nose. Two: don’t let kids mess with sleeping dogs. Three: don’t let kids sit on or hover over and hug dogs, especially when the dog is laying down. 

 

Many dogs might be just fine and kids can do most anything with them. But many dogs are not fine with anything a kid wants to do to them, and then bad things can happen. 

 

If you have kids, research some of the safety rules regarding living with kids and dogs. You don’t need to explain to the kids why, just teach them the rules and enforce them. 

Remember the old saying, "Let sleeping dogs lie"? 

Plan accordingly... 

The “Science” Of Dog Training

I’m currently reading an article from the Journal Of Experimental Analysis Of Behavior regarding stimulus control experiments, especially those of Guttman and Kalish (1956). This study was about the visual discrimination training of pigeons to better understand the concept of stimulus generalization...

My latest article... 

 

It's Dog Training Monday

There isn't really a Dog Training Monday. But my point is: today is a good day to train your dog. 

Too many dogs are in trouble because their owners haven't trained their dogs. That's not fair to their dogs and it isn't any fun for their owners. Today is a good day to train your dog. Think about it. 

Are Goldendoodles "Neurotic Psychopaths"?

A veterinarian has strongly warned against one dog breed due to its soaring popularity, branding them "neurotic psychopaths."

This is one of the dumbest professional opinions I’ve seen in a while. I have trained many doodles, including goldendoodles, and they are NOT neurotic psychopaths. They are pet dogs. Raise them right and everything will be fine. 

 

What this person is most likely seeing are dogs that weren’t properly socialized when puppies, and not properly trained as they grew up. That’s it. Is this vet recommending early puppy socialization, especially before 12 weeks of age? And many immune issues are medical problems, what recommendations does this vet have to prevent them?

 

This person should shut their pie hole and stick to veterinary medicine, not dog behavior. 

Dogs And Carjacking

Several times a year I will read a news story about a carjacking in which the criminal takes the car with the dog inside. Sometimes the dog is found as a stray; sometimes the dog is returned by the police; sometimes the dog is never seen again or is found dead; and rarely, the dog is returned by the criminal. 

Do you think about these things when driving with your dog? Do you maintain a watchful eye, especially in parts of town where these types of crimes are more likely to occur? Could you get your dog out of the car quickly? Could you track your stolen car with a GPS device? Could you track your dog with a GPS dog collar? Is your dog microchipped? Could your dog defend you? Could you defend your dog? Have you practiced a carjacking drill to prepare for this type of event? 

Plan accordingly 

Dogs And Halloween

It's Halloween Weekend And Week... and are you prepared? There are a lot of risks to you and your pet during these coming days, starting tonight... toxic food, scary people, open doors that allow a dog to escape, bad people who will harm stray dogs, open gates, intoxicated guests that can do any number of things to your dog, children acting "scary" around dogs, fireworks, and so much more. 

Plan accordingly... 

Animal Shelters Should Obtain Periodic Building Inspections

Bernalillo County Animal Care Services have to find another place for dozens of dogs after black mold was found at the Animal Care Services and Resource Center.

Having walked through many shelters and rescues over the years, I’ve seen and heard of some appalling conditions: rats, rat urine and feces, rust, parasites, contaminated ventilations systems, unsanitary food safety, poor designs that pair food and veterinary functions near euthanasia rooms, clogged drains, and general filth. It should be standard procedure, and possibly mandated by law, that all shelters have periodic inspections for animal and public health reasons. Walk around your local shelter some time, especially if you can get behind the desk facades, and give it all the white glove treatment. Ask yourself if you’d keep your home in the same condition. I beg you wouldn’t and don’t. 

44 Dogs Die In Fire At Rescue Shelter

44 dogs killed in fire at Upstate NY rescue shelter: ‘We are heartbroken’

This is a tragedy. It is not known the cause. Here’s an idea… if you run a shelter, ask the local fire department to do a periodic inspection of your facility. My understanding is this is something that many fire departments will do. It that isn't an option, hire a private building inspection company and fix everything on their inspection recommendations checklist. 

Dangerous To Fly Dogs Anywhere?

Contillo, according to the complaint, informed the flight attendant that he was reluctant to move as it would cause his dogs to become "very anxious," potentially leading to "extremely dangerous" respiratory and cardiac issues. Despite his pleas, the complaint alleges that staff disregarded his concerns and relocated both father and son to seats that provided even less breathing space for the dogs. The bereaved owner recounts in the lawsuit that Ash, the dog who passed away, began to breathe rapidly and heavily, showing clear signs of anxiety. This distress occurred just before take-off when Contillo was instructed to close the dog's carrier. During the flight, Contillo noticed that Ash had ceased moving but was required to wait until the plane reached a certain altitude before he could check on his pet

My Opinion: Commercial plane crews and companies don’t care about your dog like you do. They are not sufficiently qualified, and you risk the life of your dogs whenever you fly them, whether in cargo, economy, or first class. Commercial planes are not designed to accommodate pets. Plan accordingly.

Kerry Kennedy's Dog Killed By Another Dog On A Walk

'Out of nowhere, a neighborhood dog charged, attacked and killed Bellini,' wrote Kerry. 'It was terrifying and violent and beyond words.

I warn all my students to have their heads on a swivel and have a plan to defend themselves and their dogs on a walk. How would you defend against a human? How would you defend against a dog or other animal? Are you so distracted when walking, whether on your phone or in your head, that you can’t see what is going on before it happens?

 

Do mistakes happen? Yes. Will anyone come to your rescue in case of something bad? Most likely not. There was no way for this little fluffy dog to defend itself. Plan accordingly… 

Is Dog Kibble An Unhealthy Ultra-processed Food?

How ultra-processed dog food could be making your pet sick: When her beloved Monty fell ill, GEORGIA TOFFOLO discovered a shocking cause... and now is calling on the 'kibble cartel' to come clean

I don’t know enough about this topic, but it is on my radar. When I look at the ingredients in pet treats and foods, I often find suspicious ingredients. Here’s what I mean by that.

 

I wanted a pastry the other day. I just did. I normally don’t eat stuff like that, but occasionally I will get one. I was looking at the pastries near the bakery section of a high-end grocery store. I looked at the ingredients list. It was about 4 miles long. I decided I didn’t need to eat all that unknown stuff. If I were to make the exact same pastry at home, it would have had less than 10 ingredients. I see the same phenomenon with dog treats and foods. I would not feed that to a dog, and when I buy treats, I try my best to read the ingredients list and eliminate any brands that are making some weird chemical concoction to feed dogs.

 

I don’t trust mass production of human or dog foods. Feedback?

Don’t Pet Stranger’s Dogs

A 21-year-old man is on trial for murder after allegedly shooting and killing a man in an argument that began when the victim’s wife pet the man’s dog.

I feel no need to pet stranger’s dogs. I also don’t feel the need for my dog to meet stranger’s dogs. I leave them alone. It isn’t worth it to me. I interact with people I know or in situations where socialization is welcome, expected and invited. There are exceptions when I interact with the person, and they invite the interaction. And even then, I have my antenna up to back off if something is wrong.

 

For some dogs, a bad interaction results in a social defeat. That blows the dog’s confidence and creates a new bad memory that will affect future responses. It’s not good for your dog to be bullied by a human or other dog. Each encounter should be good for everyone involved and every dog they have with them. It is also foolish to get in arguments with strangers, even if you are in the right. Just walk away instead of letting things get out of control. The only fight worth having, in almost all cases, is one where it is justified in the eyes of God and man, otherwise… leave the situation. 

 

While this article describes an extreme case, a stranger is a stranger. I leave people alone in public. Not everyone wants interaction, and a small percentage of people are unstable, and some are dangerous, regardless of how they appear. Same with their dogs. 

 

Just like I wouldn’t just invite anyone I don’t know into my home, and I wouldn’t allow a stranger to just come up to me and touch me, I also reciprocate the same to strangers and their dogs 

Dog Breed Bans Don't Work

Despite the prohibition of the Pit bull terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino, Fila Braziliero, and the XL Bully, dog bites have increased by 154 per cent in the past 20 years.

Breed bans have never worked anywhere. But the entitled and demanding can intimidate and gain the favor of publicity seeking politicians to do just about anything, including banning dogs. Dog breed bans don’t work any better than gun bans. Same type of accusers, same logic. Ohhh… did I just say that?!

Dog Fights And Redirected Aggression

Two women rushed to hospital from same home less than 24 hours apart after 'Cane Corso hounds turned on them during dog fights' - one with an XL Bully

It is always dangerous to be near dogs that are fighting regardless of the breed. In the frenzy of a fight, especially if you intervene, the fight can turn on you even with your own dogs. I should say, my first recommended step for dealing with a dog fight is to get the kids away from the fight. 

How To Find Ticks On Your Dog

Top 9 Hiding Spots For Ticks On Dogs

This is a good article. Also, if you find ticks on your dog, you might also find ticks on yourself or your kids. 

French Bulldog AKC Breed Standard

When researching what breed is best for you, and later figuring out what your dog is like, I always recommend reading the breed standard for your dog. A breed standard is a description of the ideal dog of that breed. It is a starting point for making adoption, purchase, training, and breeding decisions. 

I especially read the parts that refer to 1.) ideal temperament; and 2.) disqualifications. What tendencies does this breed have so I can use them for the benefit of the dog? What are the health and temperament tendencies to avoid? Sometimes variations are normal for the any breed, and those variations might disqualify the dog for breeding, but aren't indications that something is wrong with your dog. For example, sometimes a short haired purebred dog (Belgian Malinois) might deliver a puppy with long hair (Belgian Tervuren). Everyone knows that can happen, and it is not a problem. If your dog has a variation, a good breeder will be able to explain what that indicates. On the other hand, sometimes a puppy would be born with a birth defect that might be reflected in the type of coat or eye color. Genetic indications are very interesting and any deviations of the standard should be researched.

Here is the link for the French Bulldog, one of the most popular breeds in the US. The words in this description were carefully selected. I often use a dictionary for each significant word to help me clearly understand what is being said. 

If I am working with a mixed bred dog, I also look at the breed standards for the other breeds. Some of each breed will come out in the resulting dog. Sometimes when you can't explain what is going on with a dog, it becomes clearer if you understand what might have been bred into the dog and understand how those traits might interact.

So, You Have A Watchdog…

Let’s say you could clone yourself and your dog, would you hire yourself and your dog to be your bodyguard to protect you and your family with your current skill level and the skill level of your dog? 

Or would everything hit the fan? Would it be a mess because you haven’t even considered how you and your dog would respond to an emergency? And have you included your family in that planning? 

 

I’m not an expert at being a police officer or professional bodyguard, but common sense says you can game out some things that would be useful. If you can’t even control your dog when a friendly guest enters your home, how do you think things would go if a bad guy entered your home, or opened your car door at a stoplight, or was chasing you down on your jog? Most likely outcome? A total mess.

Dog Licks Chemo Drug Off Owner And Gets Violently Ill

He puts a form of chemotherapy called fluorouracil on his head for treatment. When Sugar jumped in the bed one morning, he caught Tony off guard. "I screamed at him to stop and he jumped down," says Tony. "That began our journey with his exposure." Sugar had licked the drug off Tony's head and, within hours, was shaking and vomiting.

 

I tell everyone to exercise extra caution when handling drugs of any sort around dogs. I put mine in a separate room, high up, in a room with a door. Those items never leave that room, and that door is kept shut.

 

I found a pill on a student’s floor the other day as I was leaving. Some kind of capsule. This kind of poisoning can happen very easily. People are lax and dogs get hurt. 

 

Set up some kind of protocol for your home and have the poison control number handy in case of any such emergency.