Bunker The Dog Is Everywhere!

As many of you know, I trained Bunker the Dog, America's Cutest Puppy. He has now made the cover of a dog magazine. Check it out!

World's Ugliest Dog?

Elwood, a two-year-old Chinese Crested and Chihuahua mix, has been crowned the world's ugliest dog

I really have a problem with this kind of thing. I am tired of the freak shows in the media, I guess. I'm sick of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Michael Jackson, the Bill & Hillary Clinton show, defrocked Catholic priests, over-steroided bodybuilders, and then, this kind of thing.

Why can't we start glorifying success, hard work, thrift, education, honor, faith, goodness, fitness, faithfulness, and raising functional families?

New Web Page

Hey, everyone, I've re-done my web page. I will soon be offering a wide range of downloadable dog training lessons, both written and video.

-- Sam The Dog Trainer

Nigerian Spammers Strike Back

Con artists are now targeting animal lovers. They use bogus ads with cute puppy faces to hook their victims. It happened to Kim McDonald of Gallipolis, Ohio. She went online to look for an English bulldog for her son. McDonald was willing to pay $500 (much lower than market rate) and was surprised to find three purebred puppies available for that price on PuppyFind.com. She contacted the sellers via e-mail. All three wrote back that they were at a conference in Nigeria.

OK, get this straight. When you get a solicitation of business from Nigeria, it is a scam. Got it? And you have to visit a breeder before you buy a dog. Never buy a dog without inspecting the breeder, the facilities, the breeding dogs, and the litter.

Consider Training

I was hired to do a Manners lesson last night. The dog was a nice dog, but had been allowed to become a brat, and the owners had gotten into a power struggle with the dog. The dog was starting to bite them, they were using too much force on the dog, and they didn't know anything about dog training. They were at the point of turning the dog over to a shelter. I spent about 90 minutes with them, showing them how to work with their dog properly, and gave them specific homework for each behavioral problem they were encountering. By the end of the lesson, the dog was relaxed, not doing all the goofy things it did at the beginning of the lesson, and the owners could see with their own eyes that their dog could be a good dog. I also recommended that they join one of my obedience classes so they could better learn how to relate to a dog. They were well meaning people, but left out the most important thing: they failed to work with a dog trainer long before these problems developed. All is not lost now, however. If they do the homework I suggested, this dog will work out well in their home.

Kid Mauled By Doberman

The attack may have happened when the child got too close to the dog's bone.

Kids should be supervised by parents. Kids should be told to leave dogs alone at certain times and in certain circumstances. I had to warn some parents the other day about letting kids lie with their faces near the food bowl while the dog is eating. Remember: it is an animal. It has instincts to survive and no amount of training can prevent dogs from being dogs.

Seattle Dog Nazis At It Again

He was moving out of Seattle to his family home in Florida, and taking the dog with him. But he didn't tell Seattle Animal Control, never believing he was supposed to. Now he's nearly $500 poorer — the result of fees and fines that snowballed and eventually were garnisheed from his bank account. What happened in Pendergast's case — the result of a licensing crackdown by Seattle Animal Control

Seattle's animal control is out of control and needs to be reigned in. It is time for the citizens to do something about it. Would you want this happening to you in your city? Would you tolerate this with your dog? Is this what animal control is supposed to be doing? This is absolutely outrageous. Shame on you!

AMERICA'S CUTEST PUPPY!

I AM THE TRAINER OF BUNKER THE DOG, AMERICA'S CUTEST PUPPY! Bunker The Dog won tonight on WETv's "America's Cutest Puppies" TV show. He is amazing, and he truly has that "It" factor they are looking for in the media.

Does Ketchup Prevent Dog Urine Burnout Of Lawns?

Urine is slightly acidic, but so is tomato ketchup, so it does not neutralise the urine as some people believe. Instead, the salt content of tomato ketchup, juice or sauce makes dogs drink more, diluting the nitrogen in their urine. Be aware that increased salt intake can cause problems with existing kidney or heart conditions

I regularly see people messing with the diets of their dogs. The latest is someone who is feeding their dog all fresh vegetables... which will kill their dog over time. If you don't know anything about dog nutrition, you have no business making up your own diet for your dog. Table scraps are one thing, a specialized diet based upon your delusions of health are another.

UPDATE

Feds search Vick's property in dogfighting investigation

They are going to crucify this guy if they can prove he was into dog fighting. Let's hope he is innocent. Dog fighting is a crime because it is a cruel blood sport.

Sanity In An Insane World

A woman facing jail time for "staring" at a police dog had charges against her dropped Monday after an Orange County prosecutor viewed videotape of the alleged crime.

There are good and moral reasons to arrest people for harassing police dogs. But this sure wasn't one of them. I sometimes am amazed at the judgment of some prosecutors. They are people, just like you and me, and sometimes they do things that are not morally justified. I feel that way about the Scooter Libby case. He's going to prison over a technicality, not over "outing" a CIA operative. And then, there's the Duke lacrosse case.

Prosecutors have a lot of power. Tons. And they can destroy a person's life. Somehow, there needs to be better checks and balances regarding the ethical behavior of prosecuting attorneys. Not everyone deserves a prison sentence, and not all crimes need to be pursued to the utmost in order to serve justice. I do believe "what comes around, goes around", and figure that one day, God will sort them all out. I've seen it in my lifetime, and it isn't always a pretty sight. I've seen the mighty fall. Better to live by a code to be a decent person, than to end up lower than those you harmed over the years. One day, you too will need a friend.

What Did Your Dog Do On Your Summer Vacation?

ACCORDING to the trusty poindexters over at the Travel Industry Association, just 14 percent of adult Americans have traveled with a pet on a trip of 50 miles or more in the last three years

I have loved vacationing with my dogs over the years. Here are some travel tips to make the trip safer and more enjoyable.

Celebrity Dog Fights?

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick funded and gambled on dog fighting as far back as when he was in college, according to a confidential police informant that appeared on ESPN yesterday.

Hope this isn't true. But, if it is, then we all know what should happen. Dog fighting is a cruel blood sport. And just because someone is a celebrity doesn't mean they are above the law. (Hear that, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan?) People can change, too, but first we need to see that they have changed, and none of that part of the story is coming out.

Jordin Sparks Wins!

We are all hooked on reality TV shows, aren't we? (I still wanted Melinda Doolittle to win, but I do like Jordin Sparks). That's why I'm in it for Bunker The Dog on America's Cutest Puppies show. I think he's the best!

Scent Detection

The German authorities are compiling a database of human scents to track down possible violent protesters at the G8 summit in June, local media report. The method, once used by East Germany's secret police, the Stasi, involves collecting scent samples in advance from selected targets. The scents are then passed to police equipped with sniffer dogs who can pick the individuals out amidst a crowd.

Pretty amazing stuff, considering that the dog has to remember a scent, then go through crowds of people and pick out the one that they have been assigned to find. That requires a very special, intelligent dog. Few dogs would have this kind of capability. [And no, I don't think this is an immoral use of police resources. We are talking about violent protesters. If you want to effect political change, then use PERSUASION, not violence. Funny thing, it was the Communists that used this technique against those who promote democracy, and now the Communists are the ones getting the same technique used back against them, while they still hate democracy.]

Dog Training Tip

Dog lessons can sometimes be best when they are accurate and brief. Dog training is a bit of an art and a science. It is important to know the dog you are working with, and have a good sense of what that dog needs that day in order to improve.

Hard Work

Anyone who says that good dog training isn't hard work hasn't ever trained a dog to do any kind of meaningful obedience. It takes time, discipline to be consistent, close observation, motivation, study, thoughtfulness, sensitivity, self control, patience and wisdom. None of that comes from reading a book, doing some quick fix with an electric collar, or going to a few classes at a local pet store.

Better Than American Idol?

OK, I wanted Melinda Doolittle to win, didn't you?

Speaking of America's best, I want Bunker The Dog to win America's Cutest Puppy Contest on WEtv, don't you?

Dog Meat

There is a debate over the superiority of cultures. Some say we should be culture neutral, that one culture is as good as the next. Others say that you can judge which cultures are superior over others. I am of the latter group. Note: I am not saying one RACE is superior over another. All are created equal, and no race is superior over another. I am saying that some cultures, some behavioral systems, are not healthy, and in fact, some are downright barbaric. Who can honestly say, for example, that the culture that has developed in North Korea is better than the culture of South Korea? Here is a good example, too. I can't believe it is a good thing to eat dogs as meat.

BARBARISM triumphed over humaneness in Katutura on Tuesday afternoon, when a female dog was clubbed to death by a woman who proceeded to chop the animal into pieces as part of her plan to barbecue the meat and sell it as kapana.In a statement issued by the SPCA on Wednesday, the organisation pointed out that in Namibia it is not against the law to slaughter and eat your own dog or cat - as long as the animal is killed humanely with minimal stress and suffering. "The slaughtering and eating of cats and dogs cannot be stopped but humane slaughtering can and should be enforced," the organisation stated.

Is It OK To Shoot A Dog?

Two similar stories, two different results:

First News Story:

Illinois: James Bartlett, 50, of the 43000 block of North Delany Road, testified that he shot the 7-year-old shepherd mix because it fought with his dog twice within a short period. The neighbor's dog's legs were shattered in the August shooting and the dog had to be put down, according to testimony. Bartlett faces a maximum of 3 years in prison when he is sentenced June 28.

Second News Story:

Florida: A man who shot and wounded a neighbor's dog Monday won't face any charges, a Sheriff's Office spokesman said. "My guess is you have the right to defend your animal from another animal, especially on your property," said Sgt. Rick Vinson, Escambia County Sheriff's Office spokesman.

Amazing. Isn't this what we have Animal Control for? Why not pick up the phone and call the authorities? And why not enforce the laws already on the books. I can't imagine, except in an extreme situation, getting a gun and shooting anything or anyone. Is it OK to shoot a dog? I guess it depends upon where you live.

Does Killing A Cat Make A Dog Vicious?

Last month, a Rockingham County General District Court Judge ruled that Lucky is dangerous after neighbors saw the dog kill a 13-year-old cat.

This is just silly. Predatory behavior like this doesn't mean a dog is a danger to society. It just means that dogs will be dogs, and dogs will kill other species, such as cats, in certain circumstances. It is amazing how foolish the dog laws, and our courts, have become.

Planning For Summer

School will soon be out, families will be doing more outdoor recreation... and the family dogs will go along for the fun.

Does your dog have sufficient training to not be a nuisance, and to be safe and obedient, during your outings? This weekend, I saw a lot of dogs in cars with their owners. It is normal at this time of year to see dogs going along on errands, road trips, picnics and hiking adventures.

Other things I expect to see, and they happen every year about this time, are increases in dog biting incidents, phone calls from owners who have put off the training of their dogs, and reports of runaway dogs.

A little pre-planning can go a long way. NOW is the time to get your dog into training.

America's Cutest Puppy?

Don't forget to tune in to America's Cutest Puppy TV show on WEtv. Of course, I'm still cheering for Bunker The Dog!

Yeah, Right...

A teen who pleaded guilty in a horrific case of animal abuse involving a dog was sentenced yesterday to three months house arrest and two years probation. The youth was less than three weeks away from his 18th birthday when he became involved in what his defence lawyer told court was a "poorly thought-out euthanasia attempt." Court heard the accused accidentally backed over a lab-border collie cross belonging to his best friend's mother. The teen and his friend then tried to kill the dog by taping a plastic bag over its head, dragging it behind a car and hitting it over the head with a shovel.

A poorly thought-out euthanasia attempt? It is amazing what you can get some lawyers to say if you pay them some money. No wonder they are often referred to as whores. How could anyone in their right mind ethically make such a defense? I have never understood the legal profession. I am sure some would argue that this is part of giving a defendant the best defense possible. But, I disagree. This type of thing is the very reason why people don't trust the legal profession.

I am all for mercy balancing out justice. I am all for forgiveness. I am all for giving people a second chance. I am all for repentance of sins. But, this is different. This is not a plea for mercy, forgiveness, a second chance, or repentance of sins. If the story is accurate, I see it as a way of denying the truth and avoiding responsibility. If I was the parent, I would have objected to my kid being able to make that kind of defense in court. Then again, parents don't have rights in court any more.

I think you just lay your case out before a judge, tell the truth, admit your guilt, and ask the judge to do the right thing, the moral thing, in that situation. Generally, if it is a first time offense, you will get a moderate or suspended sentence, a fine, and some court ordered counseling. That sounds right to me. It appears that this is what the court did here. This article isn't criticizing the judge, but the defense attorney who would make such an argument.

Only time will tell if this sentence does any good, or if we have just enabled this boy to do something worse in the future.

Do You Need Advice From Sam The Dog Trainer?

I receive numerous requests from across the country asking if I am available to do dog training lessons, behavioral modification programs, or seminars. I am located in the Phoenix, AZ area and do most of my in person work there. However, I am available for consultations outside Phoenix. Should you be in need of professional help, then please contact me and let's see what we can arrange. In addition, you should check out my downloadable e-lessons. I sympathize with those of you who don't have a good selection of dog training experts in your area. Sometimes it can mean the difference between keeping your dog or not.

Another Good Reason To Own A Dog

A 70-pound Rottweiler that alerted its sleeping owners to a fire in their house has been honored by the Mount Clemens Fire Department with a huge, 2-foot-long rawhide bone. Kena-D went by the side of their bed, striking the bedside with his paws and eventually barking in an apparent effort to alert the Verniers of the danger.

Dog Buying Scam

Peggy Reeves... started scanning the Seattle P-I's online classifieds and found what appeared to be a great deal - a couple in the Midwest had to reluctantly give up their purebred English bulldog puppy because they were missionaries going on a trip to save souls. "God bless you, God bless you, God bless you. Everything always ended and started with that," she said. The alleged owner said she would sell the dog for just $250 as long as it went to a good home. "And I was just ecstatic. I was almost in tears I was so excited - and the dog was so cute," said Reeves. Reeves wired the money, but no dog ever came.

She made a LOT of mistakes when choosing a breeder and buying a dog. Here is the way to do it instead.

Eco-Wackos Hate Dog Ownership

Check this out. More proof of what I've said before about dog hating extremists.

The Watson rant kept on going calling for everything from cutting down on the population of domesticated dogs and cats to cutting down on everything else in what he called “simplify, simplify, simplify.”

So, since these folks are so concerned about overpopulation, I figure they should be the first to sacrifice themselves, right? Well, don't count on it anytime soon. They have the same basic animal drives we all have, and they will practice self preservation like the rest of us.

I'm pretty tired of folks who think they have this special wisdom concerning how all of us should live, when in fact, they don't do it themselves first. Think of all the Hollywood types and publicity seeking politicians who have been bleating about global warming... only to find out they practically live in castles, are transported around in gas guzzling private jets, eat only the finest foods, own stables of horses and houses filled with too many pets, and have bank accounts stuffed with cash earned from the very things they say we shouldn't be doing.

It can sometimes seem as if the scientific method is being overridden by politics, economics ignored in favor of feel good solutions, and biology trumped by feelings. Well, never fear... in the long run, reality is more powerful than the wish lists of the fanatics. You can't wish away the nature of things.

Don't Forget!

Watch America's Cutest Puppies ! I am voting for Bunker the Dog!tonight

Guardian vs Owner... The Animal Rights Agenda

I have explained this before, but some don't believe me. Well, here is the proof. Animal rights wackos are trying to rename dog "owner" to "guardian". Why? Take a look at this story...

In a case that could set a global legal precedent for granting basic rights to apes, animal rights advocates are seeking to get the 26- year-old male chimpanzee legally declared a "person." Hiasl's supporters argue he needs that status to become a legal entity that can receive donations and get a guardian to look out for his interests. "Our main argument is that Hiasl is a person and has basic legal rights," said Eberhart Theuer, a lawyer leading the challenge on behalf of the Association Against Animal Factories, a Vienna animal rights group. "We mean the right to life, the right to not be tortured, the right to freedom under certain conditions," Theuer said. "We're not talking about the right to vote here."

In other words, if they can change the definition, then they can convey onto animals the same rights as minor children. This would change normal relationship we have with animals and make us relate to them as people.

You can't eat children, put them in crates, feed them dog food, euthanize them without a court order, or put them on a leash. You have to keep them in a bedroom in your home, take them to school, etc. To these wackos, putting a dog on a leash would be considered torture. Dog training would be torture. Using crates or kennels would be considered torture. And probably many veterinary procedures and businesses would be considered a violation of freedom, torture or their right to life. They would be entitled to free health care.

Do you want this? I sure don't.

More Legal Meddling

It's weird. The impression is that Boston is a liberal city, being much more tolerant of everyone and everything. But, the reality is that they heavily regulate just about every aspect of your life. I never understand the disconnect between their image and the reality there. Here is a typical example:

Rep. Martin Walsh is howling mad about dogs running wild inside moving cars and is considering filing legislation requiring drivers to buckle up their canines. “When I drive down the road and I see a dog running around the car, particularly on the lap and front seat, that’s crazy,” said the Dorchester Democrat.

Can't these politicians just LEAVE PEOPLE ALONE? Does everything need a law or rule?

It is claimed that conservatives want to control you through legislation and rules... and in many instances, that is true. But, it is also true of liberals. I tend to have a strong libertarian (small "l") streak in me. I believe in minimal governmental intrusion in people's lives, unless there is a compelling reason otherwise. I don't think governmental micromanaging is a good thing. We already have too many laws on the books covering just about everything.

Does anyone remember what the Boston Tea Party was all about? Is there a huge public outcry wanting seat belts for dogs?

Brucella Canis

No, it is not a new dog breed, such as the Canis Panther (just another bandog)... it is a contagious disease found recently at a dog breeding operation in Washington State.

Apparently, some woman had 110 dogs in filthy conditions on her property, and health officials discovered the disease in some of the animals. Now, the question is whether the disease has been spread by her operation to other places.

This is a good reason why you should always inspect a breeder's facility before buying a dog from them.

In dogs, the disease is transmitted during breeding causing females to abort and males to develop long term chronic infections. Treatment in dogs is not very effective and the recommended management to prevent the spread to other dogs is euthanasia of infected dogs. Brucellosis is transmitted by contact or by contaminated food, water, and excrement.

Taking The Law Into Your Own Hands

The owners of a mixed-breed doberman named "Brownie" are distressed that a man allegedly killed the animal on Thursday afternoon with his bare hands after saying that it had bitten his daughter. Singh said the incident occurred after a group of schoolchildren pelted the dog in the yard as they were returning home from school at 2:30 pm. The man said he is not sure if the dog indeed bit the girl.

How awful. The kids who harassed the dog should be charged with some kind of violation and the parents held to account. The kid who was bitten, if s/he did the harassment should be spanked. And the man who beat the dog to death should go to jail, and be made to enter some kind of anger management program. But, we all know none of that will happen... the kids will not be corrected, the owner not compensated, the man will get off with a small fine and a warning.

If this story is accurate, then this was a provoked dog biting incident. The dog wasn't at fault.

Rent A Dog?

A rent-a-dog service that offers "flexible pet ownership" is catering to canine lovers who can't commit to full-time puppy love.

I have a big problem with this. Would you let a stranger walk off with your dog? Unless I knew someone personally, I would never let them manage my dog. Even at the doggie daycare, Paws To Play, where I am Head Trainer, they carefully screen applicants to work there. We hear stories all the time where an owner let a friend babysit their dog, and the dog got out the door and was hit by a car, or the dog came back traumatized by something goofy the friend did to the dog.

I would never use a service like this, and I would never operate a service like this. If a person isn't at a stage in life where they can own a dog, then they should wait until they can. Dogs are just too vulnerable when you aren't there to watch.

Seems Suspicious...

Santa Fe authorities told Greg Pike he had to have a busker's license for his strolling act, which consists of a mouse riding on the back of a cat riding on the back of a dog. Pike figured it would be no big deal to get the $35 license. But Pike said that when he came out of city hall with the itinerant vendor license, he was met by city animal control officers. They gave him citations for $500 because Booger, his Rottweiler-Labrador mix, and Kitty, the gray-and-black cat, had no tags proving they had their rabies shots and had been spayed or neutered.

It seems quite odd that animal control was right there to give this man a series of tickets, doesn't it? Where, in your town, are animal control officers just lurking around to hand out violations?

Don't Forget To Tune In!

Tonight is another episode of America's Cutest Puppies.

Since I am the trainer of Bunker The Dog, and know him personally, I'm sort of biased towards him!

I am having a great deal of fun as I work with Bunker. Bull Terriers are quite an interesting breed, and they have a lot of capability if you give them the necessary time and effort. It is a shame so many people get dogs and then neglect them. Bunker is hardly being neglected, however. He goes everywhere with his family and has a good home and social life. He is actively being used to help raise funds for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. He is learning a ton of things in his daily lessons (such as tracking, retrieving objects on command, on and off leash obedience, and a variety of tricks). Lastly, he is getting increasingly more media attention, and has been interviewed with his owners by Bark Magazine, personal interest TV appearances, and other publicity efforts.

When you interact with your dog this much, they become quite interesting and fun. They also start acting spooky smart, as they pick up more and more how to communicate, and learn how to learn. Bunker is crossing that threshold right now, and that is really bringing out his already interesting personality.

Bunker is a joy to be around, and I think you can see that when you watch him on TV.

Stay tuned!

What A Mess

Kosovo is plagued with growing packs of stray dogs and is offering a bounty for the tail of every hound gunned down and killed off.

What Do Ewe Think?

Thousands of people have been 'fleeced' into buying neatly coiffured lambs they thought were poodles. Entire flocks of lambs were shipped over from the UK and Australia to Japan by an internet company and marketed as the latest 'must have' accessory. But the scam was only spotted after a leading Japanese actress said her 'poodle' didn't bark and refused to eat dog food.

Interesting

A newly discovered feature of dog body language that may surprise attentive pet owners and experts in canine behavior. When dogs feel fundamentally positive about something or someone, their tails wag more to the right side of their rumps. When they have negative feelings, their tail wagging is biased to the left.

I haven't noticed this before. I will have to start watching. Might be a very useful dog training idea.

Some Dog Bites Are Justified

A woman -- who was allegedly trespassing outside a Lancaster house on Monday night -- was injured after the homeowner's dog bit her.

Tough luck. You enter someone's property illegally, then the dog should have the right to chase you off and bite you. Not all dog bites are bad things. This is a perfect example of why it should be OK to own a protective dog, of any breed. In fact, this homeowner felt threatened enough that he fired his gun at the intruder. But, instead of bullets, teeth got her. What business did this person have being in this man's back yard at 11 pm?

By the way, the police weren't there at the time of the intrusion, were they? Sometimes you have to take your own safety into your own hands. This is what the right of self defense should be all about.

Slippery Slope...

Tell me why we pass laws that affect EVERYONE whenever you have a tragedy? It is like we have all been warped into some kind of big, soppy talk show where everyone grieves over the tragedies of others.

Here is a recent story of dog attack in New Zealand (a country that still can't figure out how to make reasonable dog laws). I like New Zealand and it's people... but I am appalled at their approach to dealing with dogs.

"Whenever you get an attack like that, it's worth going back and having a look at the legislation."

Why? The dogs "were roaming free on a property that was not fully fenced." And someone got attacked.

The proposed legislative solution?

"Why don't we simply ban dogs that look like killers – thick short legs, nasty snarls, heads like pigs and jaws like bolt cutters?" Miss Clark said personally nothing would please her more. "I think it's horrific that these dogs are running loose anywhere in New Zealand," she said. "But you often find there's a lot of passion excited among dog owners on the issue. It's not as simple to make progress as you might think." The incident is the fourth fatal dog mauling in New Zealand since 1997.

Yep, more useless legislation. Read the article. It says there is only one animal control officer in the area, dogs are allowed to roam free, these dogs were left unsupervised in a yard that wasn't fenced, and someone got hurt in the process. How about the following instead: enforce the laws already on the books; provide sufficient funds and personnel to enact the intent of the laws; enforce leash laws; and penalize owners who let their dogs roam free according to the intent of the owner, negligence of the owner, and the severity of the harm to others? This owner is apparently going to be charged with manslaughter, which is the killing of a person without malice or intent to kill, or in the commission of some unlawful act. Normally, it involves commission of an unlawful act that might reasonably produce the death of someone else. Such a conviction would result in prison. However, the article says that no one figured these dogs would attack, based upon knowing the dogs. And just because a fence is faulty or incomplete doesn't seem to me to be a reason to justify charging the owner with manslaughter... just my opinion.

Banning dogs based on looks won't fix this kind of thing. And convicting this woman just because her dogs were a certain breed doesn't make sense either. I have worked with many pit bulls and pit bull mixes that wouldn't harm a fly. In fact, almost all the ones I have worked with, with a few exceptions were this way. But, I could say that about every breed. Look, apparently in this community they let dogs run free, and she was doing what everyone else did, only in this case, her dogs did the deed. Why not charge all the other people in the town with being negligent and put them in prison while you are at it?

America's Cutest Puppies

Remember to watch tonight's episode on WEtv!

Go Bunker!

Pit Bull Owner Charged With Felony

Kitsap County prosecutors have filed felony charges against a Poulsbo woman whose pit bull attacked and injured a woman neighbor last week. Because of the vicious attack, Poulsbo police are also looking into changes to the city's code concerning dogs, including the possibility of banning dangerous canines outright. Police said the woman was attacked in mid-morning on April 10 when Law's gate surrounding her home was left open.

Some lessons here. First, don't leave dogs unattended in your back yard. Build a proper kennel or have them indoors. Second, if you have a pit bull breed, you have a "kick me" sign pasted to your back. You have to go overboard to make sure you don't run afoul of the law, because if you do, then you will have the living daylights kicked out of you. Third, you should have a spring loaded gate door on the side of your house, which closes it automatically. Fourth, even if you didn't do something negligent, and someone else leaves your back gate open, you could be charged with a crime and go to jail. Who knows how this gate became undone. Fifth, notice that whenever something like this happens, the first thing politicians do is try to find a way to take away more of your rights. So, some person a million miles from you does something stupid, we all end up paying the price. Collective punishment. Will anyone fight back?

The Plot Thickens... Was Pet Food Tainted Intentionally?

Chinese manufacturers might have intentionally added a chemical linked to pet deaths and illnesses into a protein-powder ingredient in pet foods, federal government regulators said Thursday. Stephen Sundlof, chief veterinarian for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), said melamine, which has turned up in more than 100 brands of cat and dog food, might have been used to falsely boost the apparent nutritional content of rice protein.

Well, if they can do it, couldn't a terrorist group poison the human food supply? This is worrisome.

More Philosophy...

Don't you find it odd that only a 72 year old Holocaust survivor stood up to the Virginia Tech gunman, and yet a whole school full of adults were slaughtered like Holocaust victims in a Nazi concentration camp? What are we teaching our kids these days?

Mark Steyn said this very thing in his column today: "They’re not “children.” The students at Virginia Tech were grown women and — if you’ll forgive the expression — men. They would be regarded as adults by any other society in the history of our planet. Granted, we live in a selectively infantilized culture where twentysomethings are “children” if they’re serving in the Third Infantry Division in Ramadi but grown-ups making rational choices if they drop to the broadloom in President Clinton’s Oval Office. Nonetheless, it’s deeply damaging to portray fit fully formed adults as children who need to be protected. We should be raising them to understand that there will be moments in life when you need to protect yourself — and, in a “horrible” world, there may come moments when you have to choose between protecting yourself or others. It is a poor reflection on us that, in those first critical seconds where one has to make a decision, only an elderly Holocaust survivor, Professor Librescu, understood instinctively the obligation to act."

Why didn't someone pick up a desk or chair and throw it at this maniac? Why did 2 planes slam into the World Trade center, whereas in Flight 93, the passengers stood up and fought back?

I just don't think you can allow yourself to be a victim. That is one of the enduring lessons of the Holocaust, which is why I think that Professor Librescu knew what to do. The Greatest Generation learned the hard lessons of WW I, the Great Depression, WW II and the beginnings of the Cold War. This man was a hero, and he sacrificed himself for others. He did the right thing. Why didn't anyone else?

I am not blaming the victims, however. The blame rests solely on the gunman who did the killing. What I am asking, is why no one else fought back. What lessons were these people taught? Have we so indoctrinated our kids that they have to be nice to everyone, and that you can always talk to a bad person and negotiate a happy ending, that we have forgotten there is evil in the world and that some people just need to be dealt with? What was the psychology here?

This is why I wonder if the 1920's and 30's are repeating. Too many parallels.

And now, you might ask, how does this relate to dog ownership?

As I have stated before, in many different ways, we should have the right to deploy a dog for self defense, and then use that dog, if necessary, in a life threatening situation. And your neighbors and the public should accept that as being ok and moral.

Would any parent say they wouldn't have stood in front of that gunman and protected their offspring with a gun? Then, would you prevent me from defending myself in an emergency, using a dog, if necessary? Why would it be ok, for you to defend your family, but not me?

And if I am going to own such an animal, then shouldn't I get some leeway in order to train it properly to do such a job, and be allowed to let my dog bark from time to time to let me know strangers are present, and for my dog to growl at times at strangers who are acting strangely?

Willing To Give Up Your Freedom? Because Of Some Nutcase?

He was a chubby-cheeked campus creep who stalked at least three pretty co-eds - terrifying one enough that her parents called the cops on him - before he wound up unleashing Virginia Tech's bloodbath. "I stopped telling friends to come to my room, especially girls," the shaken roommate of mass murderer Cho Seung-Hui, identified only as John, revealed in a chilling interview yesterday.

So, we have a serious nutcase who blew away about 30 kids. And the knee jerk reaction is now to politicize this and call for the banning of people's right to keep and bear arms.

There is a strong parallel between gun banning and dog banning. Same phenomenon. After Dianne Whipple was killed by a couple of Presa Canarios, insurance companies began refusing to issue homeowner's policies, and cities placed this breed on their banned dogs lists. Then, cities were emboldened to ban other breeds across the Western world, using this tragedy as a way of banning many dog breeds.

Look, when cooler head prevail, we don't do these kinds of things. We don't decide to go and tear up the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The right to self defense is fundamental to a free society. That is what the Second Amendment of the Constitution is all about. The Supreme Court has ruled that the police have NO obligation to protect you. Their job is to protect the community at large, and to bring law and order to the community. They have no obligation to come to your defense, no obligation to answer your 911 emergency phone call, no obligation to stop a stalker or robber or rapist, and no obligation to risk their lives to save yours. At some point, you have to have the right to step in and protect yourself, and that might mean using a gun.

My mom tells me that many years ago, she was home, alone with us kids (dad was at work) and someone tried to break into our apartment. She yelled at the guy, through the door, who was trying to break through the front door, to go away. But, he kept working at the door. She went and got my dad's handgun, pointed it at the door, told the guy she was armed and would shoot unless he went away. The guy stopped and left. There is no way the police would have arrived in time to save her and my family if she hadn't been armed, and prepared to use that weapon to save her and her kids. Even being warned someone was home, the guy kept trying to break into the home. It took the threat of being killed to stop this wacko.

Similarly, dogs are regularly deployed to save lives every day. Even the police use them to save lives. We all know dogs can be a part of a good home security plan. But, when some wacko misuses a dog and an innocent person gets injured or killed, we toss away our rights and decide that we should ban the very types of dogs that we need to save lives.

More people's lives are saved by dogs, than the number of people killed by dogs.

Listen to the bleating of the comics-turned-pundits, like Rosie on the View, calling for the banning of guns, and consider the source. This is the same person who says she has been clinically depressed since the 1999 Columbine student shooting, hanging upside down in some weird contraption to counter the depression. Are you clinically depressed about a tragic news story that happened a million miles away, nearly 8 years ago, to no one you knew personally? It is these same types of drama queens that champion the banning of dogs in our communities.

I do not support giving up my Constitutional rights, or my inalienable human rights, just because someone abuses them. Anything can be perverted. Anything can be used to excess... food, video games, alcohol, gambling, cars, guns, dogs, hobbies, sex, water... anything.

I am not an ascetic. I find that kind of thinking to be anti-nature. According to Wikipedia: Asceticism describes a life characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures (austerity). Those who practice ascetic lifestyles often perceive their practices as virtuous and pursue them to achieve greater spirituality. Many ascetics believe the action of purifying the body helps to purify the soul, and thus obtain a greater connection with the Divine or find inner peace. This may take the form of self-mortification, rituals or renunciations of pleasure. However, ascetics maintain that self-imposed constraints bring them greater freedom in various areas of their lives, such as increased clarity of thought and the ability to resist potentially destructive temptations.

I am not about to become a non-person just to not offend others. I am not going to be the lamb for the slaughter, and I don't think you should let yourself be one, either. If my friends, family or some helpless person is threatened, I'm going to risk my life and help them out. If those other students had been armed, then maybe fewer people would have died in this tragedy. And if you have that German Shepherd Dog, pit bull, Rottweiler, or other dog, maybe that dog will someday save your life, or the life of a loved one.

To give up your rights is to allow yourself to be abused. It is giving into authoritarianism and totalitarianism. And that is not morally right.

Silly Dog Training Advice

Trying to teach your dog some manners?Try getting him to learn one magic command instead: Sit. After house training, "sit" may be the most important thing you can teach your dog. Once your dog learns that sitting earns him a treat, you hold the cure to many problems, dog trainers say.

I see a lot of dogs. And every one of them will Sit for a treat. And they still have behavioral problems. This kind of advice is just embarrassing. This kind of program won't fix biting, destructive chewing, running out the front door, incessant barking, dog fighting or any number of other unmannerly behaviors. It also doesn't put enough responsibility on the owners for their lack of effort.

I suspect this article was written to give some publicity to someone. In my opinion, it wasn't well researched and the ideas in the article weren't given the same going over that a regular reporter would do when compiling any other type of investigative or informative article. So, in the end, these types of stories cause more harm than good, because they just keep people doing all the same, silly, do-it-yourself, cheapskate things they have been doing. The dogs are still unmannerly and more dogs pile up in shelters as a result.

Legal Mumbo Jumbo

Did Marjorie Knoller know that walking her dogs without choke chains or muzzles could mean someone would die? Now the case may lead to a new standard in California for determining when an unintentional killing can be murder. At issue is the state of mind of someone whose dangerous act triggers a death: How much advance awareness must that person have of the risks?

This is what happens when lawyers have nothing to do. They pursue legal theories that can hurt everyone. We need legal reform in this country. If dog attacks can be ruled murder, when the handler / owner didn't send the dogs on someone to attack, then we are all in trouble. This could mean the end of dog ownership as we know it.

Further, think on this one... hey you clicker trainers. Does this law mean that clicker training alone, without correction collars, makes you liable if a dog you trained attacks and kills someone? If you recommend a head halter instead of a prong collar, or you teach you should only train with treats instead of choke chains, will that make you potentially liable if that dog one day attacks someone? Are you going to be forced to adopt a training style that you find morally objectionable?

ANY dog can bite, given the right circumstances. Dogs are animals, not people. They can't make moral choices and they will do what animals do... take up territory, protect themselves and their owners, hunt and kill. Sometimes, unfortunately, that means people will get hurt. We can't legislate nature, we have to accept nature as it is.

Will this mean that when the dog sneaks into the baby's room, breaking down a gate or jumping into a crib, and kills the baby, that we put the mother and father in prison for murder? There are a few famous cases of small dogs, not big ones, killing infants. So what breed is then deemed safe? Could you be at legal jeopardy if you have a baby and a dog?

Does this mean that when a burglar sneaks onto your property and is killed by your dog, that you will be deemed to have used excessive force and you go to prison for murder? Then, could anyone own a dog as a crime deterrent?

We are living in an Orwellian world, my friends. It is like the time between WW I and WW II, when the world lived in a fog and pretended that we could wish utopia on ourselves and then it would happen. Look around you. Wrong is right and right is wrong. Look at the parallels of the 1920's and 1930's. These kinds of legal theories are a form of tyranny. Last time, we saw the rise of the dictators. Where is this heading? What are the reasons for this kind of thinking, and what are the risks?

I don't know what can be done about it, except to complain that it isn't fair or moral. We all used to understand what "murder" meant. It is highly dangerous to be redefining the definitions of morality like this.

Training Your Dog

Sometimes I am asked if I can train a dog, but do it in fewer lessons, to save the customer money. I understand where these types of calls originate, because we all have bills to pay, and you want to know that you are getting value for your money.

Unfortunately, to do the training properly, there can't be any short cuts. There are skills that need to be taught in order for the dog to not only understand what is required, but for the dog handler to know what they are doing.

Let's say you only have the money, or the time, to do half of the lessons. Then, what things do you want cut out of the training program? Now, we are assuming that the training won't involve brute force, not making the dog do things that it is ill prepared to do. That causes dogs to panic or fight back in the training process.

To me, I liken good training to a martial arts class. I trained in Gracie-style Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for about 3 years. It was terrifically fun, and maybe in the next year, I'd like to start up again. My instructor, Marcello Alonso, is an amazing martial artist and teacher. I learned a great deal from him. I can't thank him enough, and I still am learning from the things he taught me. One thing I learned is that you weren't going to get a higher belt until you had mastered the belt you had. They only hand out belts on merit in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

At the beginning, I didn't know anything. That was a real eye-opener; any one of the more experienced students, blue belt or higher, male or female, could have beaten me in a real fight. In fact, I didn't even spar until I had attended classes for about a month or so. We did basic drills, calisthenics, and watched the more experienced students spar. One reason for not allowing us to spar was that we could be injured. The other was that we didn't know what we were doing. Lastly, because we were so out of shape; Brazillian jiu-jitsu is the most physically taxing thing I think you can do.

Once you were past this stage, then you started sparring, and the more experienced guys went easy on you. They not only let you put holds on them, they also showed you how they could slip out of the moves you tried. It took me nearly 2 years before I went from a white belt to a blue belt. At first, I was training the recommended 2 times a week. That was all I could handle. By the end of the second year, I was training 3 to 4 times a week, 9 to 12 hours a week.

I remember once coming in the dojo feeling great. I was rested, my head was clear, and I felt strong. However, once we started training, I just didn't have it. After class, I asked Marcello about it. He had a couple of good pieces of advice that I have never forgotten. First, he told me that sometimes you are the bug and sometimes you are the windshield. In other words, that is a normal thing in martial arts. You won't always be the winner. In fact, if you look at the fighting records of the mixed martial artists, you will rarely see someone that has an unbeaten record, if they have been fighting for a long time. You will have days when you are great, and days when you are not so great. Second, he said you have to look at your progress in 4 month intervals, minimum. I was often training 4 times a week, 12 hours a week, and still my progress was slow. Martial arts is a physical skill, and it takes time to master any physical skill. I remember when I used to play music, I would practice 4 hours a day, and even then, you had to look at your progress over a year's period, not over a period of weeks or months.

Dog training, if done properly, is just like this.

Dogs and handlers need to time to master the concepts, to really get it right. I have people in my group classes that have been at it diligently for the past year, and they still have much more to learn. Yes, their dogs look great, but still, the work isn't yet finished.

Now, you might hear some folks say that they went and trained with some guy, and he did miracles in a handful of lessons. Great. Good. But, that kind of quick fix stuff doesn't maximize your dog's potential, and it won't get you the kind of handling skills that you want in the long term. I am looking for precision, speed, willingness, teamwork, and off leash skills, for the dog and the handler. This is why many dog obedience sports don't allow dogs to compete under 2 years of age. Yes, you can force a young dog to go through the routines, but experienced trainers and handlers know that a proper performance takes time to accomplish. That is why you don't see guide dogs, police dogs, field trial dogs, or other professionals pushing their dogs until they are over 2 years old. Guide dogs, for example, are raised with a volunteer family for the first 18 months. The dogs and handlers practice a set of manners and obedience commands during that time. Then, the dogs are handed over to professional trainers who then spend 6 months finishing up the dog's skills. Six months, not a handful of lessons. Similarly, police dogs are typically worked as puppies in terms of obedience, tracking, scent detection and bite work for the first 2 years. For most breeds, between 2 and 3 years of age, the final attack work is completed. None of that is done overnight. And the same kind of thing happens with field trial dogs, that is, professionally trained hunting dogs.

It just takes time to teach all of those skills, and to do it right. It also takes handlers a long time to master the skills. Even after a year of diligent training, you will still be making handling errors with your dog. And besides, if it was so easy, then everyone would have a dog that performed at world class level... which we all know they don't.

Now, I'm pretty darned proud of my students. They all work hard, and we have a great time training together. The dogs also look great, and do some amazing things over time. For many, it has become a fun hobby. They enjoy it and so do the dogs.

So, when you've seen things from my level, my perspective, when you get an inquiry about doing the training, using short cuts, you know you are dealing with a novice. You know that they are usually concerned about their budget, but also love their dogs. You also know that you can't in good conscience sell them a slipshod program, just to take their money. You know what it is going to take to get them a well mannered, obedient, fun dog. For the budget conscious, I recommend the group classes. It spreads the cost out over time, and in the end, the dogs get well trained. On the other hand, if I am able to persuade the customer, they decide that they will not only do the group classes, but they will also do private lessons at the same time. They come to realize that nothing good is going to come easy and cheap, and that they love their dogs enough to make an investment in their future.

Saturday's Dog News

An 8-year-old boy was hospitalized in satisfactory condition Friday night after he was attacked and bitten repeatedly by a large dog while he walked to school with his two brothers. Police said DeVonta was attacked just before 8 a.m. after the Akita, which weighed about 140 pounds, got off its chain in a nearby yard.

Dogs should NOT be left unattended in the yard on a chain. It makes them hyper-territorial, being trapped in a specific location on home turf. It also allows them to learn to keep lunging at passerbys, which intensifies the motivation over time. Further, it makes the dog vulnerable to teasing by passersby, which would also increase the dog's motivation over time. Here is the result.

Horrified residents looked on helplessly as a snarling dog mauled a cat to death in a city street. Some people were so fearful that the dog might turn on them, or children who had been playing nearby, that they armed themselves with pieces of wood.

OK, a few thoughts.

Dogs kill cats. Watch Tom & Jerry and Sylvester cartoons sometime, and tell me what a lot of those episodes were about. We all know this... except today, when cartoons have become real life, and animals act like little politically correct beings in the stories. This dog shouldn't have been out roaming the town unsupervised.

I feel sorry for the cat. But, not the cat owner. Why would you allow your cat to roam the streets, to be killed by a car or dog? The cat owner should be found and fined.

And dogs that kill cats aren't necessarily going to be dangerous to people. Dogs are predators, and have been living with people for thousands of years, being used to kill rodents and other small animals, even bringing down big game for hunters. Then, the dogs were brought home and kept as pets. If a dog isn't raised with cats, then the dog is going to be more likely to kill cats. Sorry, that's just the way it is.

A driver on Kapa'a Quarry Road in Kailua was killed yesterday when he became distracted by a dog in his sport utility vehicle and collided with an oncoming tanker truck, officials said. Officials said a 64-year-old Kailua man was taking a dog to a veterinary appointment when he bent over to pick up the pet.

This is a good reason to a. TRAIN YOUR DOG; b. have the dog in a crate or seat belt when driving; c. pull over and deal with the dog instead of trying to manage the dog's behavior while going at traffic speeds. Why did this dog need to be picked up while the car was moving?

Bunker's Being Interviewed This Morning

Bunker The Dog is being interviewed this morning on the local FOX affiliate TV station in Phoenix, AZ.

Tomorrow night, on WETV, he will be featured on America's Cutest Puppies.

GO BUNKER!

Britain's Insane Rabies Law Being Reviewed

The UK government's chief vet and chief scientific adviser have told BBC News that current rabies controls in Britain are overly restrictive. It is not that long ago that fears of rabies arriving in the UK meant that dogs travelling back from Europe had to be kept in quarantine. Now the Pet Travel Scheme allows owners to vaccinate their dogs and confirm it with a blood test six months before travel. Most animal welfare groups agree the current system is too severe. But Chris Lawrence of the Dogs Trust believes that it would be wrong to bring the waiting time down to 21 days after vaccination. "Rabies is prevalent in Poland, Eastern Europe and many accession countries and by harmonising our regulations, [we] would increase the risk of rabies arriving in the UK," he said. "A three-month waiting period is supported by the science - and separate blood tests should continue to be required because one can't be completely sure of all vaccine stocks."

This mess is really just a way for a group of business people to make profits by keeping ridiculous regulations on the books. If the regulations are repealed, then they go out of business.

If you have to wait weeks or months before a dog can enter the country, then that dog is going to have to be kept in quarantine in another country until that time has elapsed. Science should prevail here, not this kind of thing. I am all for public safety, but some things are not risky enough to be bothered with. For example, yes, the earth could some day be hit by a huge meteor... but, is it worth creating a manned space station orbiting the moon just in case we have to evacuate the planet? No. Similarly, if the risk of an epidemic is ridiculously low, then why put in such stringent regulations?

Follow the money...

Another example of why I support limited government. Regulations are oftentimes just ways of creating protected monopolies, and undeserved profits, for certain types of businesses. This is NOT free enterprise in action. These laws are inhumane, irrational, and cruel to both dogs and dog owners. They are also ridiculously expensive.

Again, Do We Have A Pit Bull Problem Or Drug Problem?

A Long Island man is under arrest for siccing his pit bull on two police officers who were trying to give him a ticket for the unlicensed dog... Vanterpoool was arrested and found to be carrying 25 bags of what was believed to be crack-cocaine.

I have article after article at this blog showing the link between drug dealing / abuse and pit bull ownership. So, are the dogs the problem or the people who own them?

Pet Food Recall

Pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical may have sickened or killed 39,000 cats and dogs nationwide, based on an extrapolation from data released Monday by one of the nation's largest chains of veterinary hospitals.

That is a lot of pets, and a lot of heartache. Most pet owners I know have been scanning these articles regularly to see if their pet foods have been affected. I know I did it, too.

Summer's Here And The Time Is Right...

No, not for dancing in the streets. It is time to start training your dog! A lot of you have untrained pups and dogs, and as the summer months approach, you will be taking those dogs into public and seeing what a pain it is for everyone that your dog is out of control. You should begin obedience training with a dog no later than 4 months of age. On the other hand, healthy adult dogs of any age can learn and benefit from formal lessons.

GO BUNKER!!

Tonight is the big opening night. Bunker The Dog is a finalist in America's Cutest Puppies contest, being aired on WETV. I have worked with Bunker and his family to prepare him for this event, and tonight we will gather around the TV and see the first show (there will be 12 weekly episodes, showing on Saturday night around the US. Go to the WETV web page to find your local channel listing and air time).

Selling Dogs Like Cattle

There are questions about the future of a dog auction that had drawn protests in northeast Ohio's Amish country.

Critics call the breeding operations that supply the auction "puppy mills," factory-like operations in which caged dogs churn out litters year after year. People regularly gathered outside the auction in Holmes County to protest what they called an industry built on cruelty.

Dog auctions. Where do you think a lot of pet stores get their puppies from?

Dogs deserve better than this. Read books on dog breeding and early development, then compare that to what these types of operations entail.

500 Breeding Dogs In One Facility?

Morrison County commissioners approved a permit Thursday for a dog-breeding operation Belle Prairie Township that could involve as many as 500 animals.

I do not believe it is good to breed dogs like livestock, or to buy dogs from such an operation. To me, this is appalling. Here is how I recommend finding a good breeder.

Saturday Night

Bunker The Dog, and other puppies, will be on America's Cutest Puppies contest. It will air on WETV. He is one of the 10 finalists, and the PR tsunami is just starting. Tune in. I'm looking forward to seeing how all our training efforts paid off. I wasn't there for the filming, so I don't know how the show will proceed. Should be, however, a ton of fun!

Dog Problem Or Drug Problem?

A woman is going to be arrested for owning a pit bull because the dog killed her granddaughter.

The story doesn't explain the circumstances of the attack, and it is highly possible that the owner was negligent in managing the dog. But, was this really evidence of pit bulls being dangerous, or evidence that some people shouldn't own a dog.

Here's the clue: Her grandmother, Jacqueline Simpson, who suffered injuries to her arms as she tried to wrench the dog away, was also charged with possession of class A drug diamorphine.

Well, I don't have drugs like that in my medicine cabinet, do you? Diamorphine is another name for HEROIN. Drug dealers will get pit bulls, abuse them to make them vicious, and use them to protect their drug operations. Then, some of these dogs get loose and attack. Pit bulls are generally very friendly dogs. Funny how the drug dealers always have the nasty ones. Wonder how that comes to be, hmmm? I don't know how this woman got these drugs, or if she's a user or dealer, but all the warning bells are going off right now.

Tough On Animal Control...

OK, I am tough on Animal Control operations because they are supposed to be professionals, knowing the law, animal behavior, and should be a model for humane animal treatment. However, they often miss the mark. Regardless of which entity does the animal control work, police officers or officers designated specifically for animal control, they need to know what the heck they are doing.

Here is a sample of what I am referring to. I think this looks incompetent to me, according to what the article says...

"Owner Maegan Verlanic says she could not believe what she saw - three police officers standing on a log with her dog on the other end of the catch pole. Maegan Verlanic, dog owner: "They had him hanging from it. You could see the top of his head from how high they had him from the ground." Captain Kurt Asmus, Blackfoot Police Department: "And before the owners could get back around and get into their own yard, the dog had passed away.""

I can tell if a dog is aggressive or not, because I am a professional. I expect humane care from others who are doing professional work with dogs... groomers, trainers, pet store operators, pet food manufacturers, veterinarians... and animal control officers.

Heartbreak

"Unable to come to terms with the death of their pet dog, an elderly couple in southern India committed suicide by hanging themselves, police said on Monday."

I have heard a quote, and I'm not sure if I've got it accurately, that says a dog will do two things in your life: win your heart, then break your heart. It is awfully hard when a beloved pet dies. The grief is intense and can last quite a while.

On the other hand, life goes on, and you can't let it take you down such a dark path that you give up on life yourself. When things are this bad, that is what professional counseling is for.

That is also what a new dog or puppy is for...

Head Halter For Lunging Dog?

"Q: my dog barks and lunges at other dogs when we are on walks, and I have a hard time controlling him because he is a 90-pound lab. How can I stop him from doing this?

A: There is a type of collar for a dog that resembles the halter a horse wears. It has separate parts that go around the neck like a conventional collar and another loop that encircles the muzzle...

However, don't just "control" the dog's behavior with the head halter. Make use of the opportunity. With the undesired behavior interrupted, train your dog to replace the undesired behavior with a desirable one. A good substitute behavior for lunging and barking on walks is to train the dog to look at you instead."

Based on years of experience working with dogs like this... I DISAGREE with this approach!

This dog could still attack another dog. This type of dog still doesn't like other dogs, and you are not getting the dog over its reaction towards other dogs. This is a misapplication of Operant Conditioning, and shows why you need more than a bit of behavioral knowledge before you start dealing with dangerous dogs.

This is why I recommend that you go to a veterinarian for MEDICAL advice, and a Dog Trainer for BEHAVIORAL advice. There are better ways to control dogs that aren't good with other dogs. I have a Problem Dog Class for this type of situation, and we don't use head halters... we fix the problem instead. Just yesterday, in this class, we had dogs running together that a couple of months ago would have attacked and hurt another dog. I have fixed this kind of thing over and over again. No one can fix all dogs, but you can fix most dogs. (And no, you don't need to "get the help of a veterinary behavior specialist for an accurate diagnosis and behavior modification plan". See my thoughts on choosing a trainer / behaviorist)