This Is Socialism & Your Dog

A Beijing law making it illegal to keep dogs taller than 35 centimeters (1.1 foot) means that dogs such as Deng's placid Golden Retriever are outlaws and can be locked up and put down if they are intercepted by the authorities

This is what socialists do. They try to regulate everything, thinking they know better than you do how to live your life.

What is socialism's effects?

"A socialist policy is abhorrent to the British ideas of freedom. Socialism is inseparably interwoven with totalitarianism and the object worship of the state. It will prescribe for every one where they are to work, what they are to work at, where they may go and what they may say. Socialism is an attack on the right to breathe freely. No socialist system can be established without a political police. They would have to fall back on some form of Gestapo, no doubt very humanely directed in the first instance." - Winston Churchill

Sounds like we are getting a heavy dose of it these days. It is here, it is in China, it is everywhere. It is a cancer that kills the very life out of a society.

Barack Obama is the first truly socialist major party candidate we've had running for President. He's even for animal rights, which is another socialist ideology. It is just another way of controlling human behavior for the benefit of the state. In Europe, they are now so foolish as to grant human rights to monkeys. Is this the kind of government you want? I don't.

This Presidential race isn't about race. It surely isn't for me. I don't care if the next President is white, black, male, or female. It is about the future. It is about whether this country is going to choose it's own slow suicide, just like we see happening in Europe. Socialism is a false religion, it favors the state over the individual, favors control over choice, and assumes that you are an idiot that needs to be forced to conform. Ever wonder why socialists swoon over global warming, animal rights, political correctness, destruction of faith, destruction of family, destruction of anything that makes people different or unique? Ever wonder why socialist states are in a continual state of malaise? I think the answer is pretty clear.

Ask yourself, is China better off now, even with these kinds of maddening rules, or the way it was under Mao? Of course it is better off now, because the state isn't as intrusive. Would China be better off without this kind of dog law, or is it better with this kind of dog law?

Stories like the one above are evidence to anyone with half a brain why socialism is evil and destructive.

Dog First Aid

Chocolate, grapes and raisins have been blamed for a staggering surge in the number of dogs being poisoned by sweet treats. In the last year, the number of canines who have become ill after eating chocolate has soared by 48 per cent. There has also been a 91 per cent increase in numbers of dogs poisoned after ingesting grapes, raisins or sultanas.And it has emerged that there has been an increase in the number of animals consuming painkillers - some of which vets say have been given to dogs by their owners to try and avoid paying vets' bills. The most common dog toxin was rat poison, followed by chocolate, Ibuprofen, paracetamol, oral contraceptives, grapes, raisins and sultanas and slug bait.

You'd think that every dog owner would know about this. Shouldn't vets tell them this during annual checkups?

74-Year-Old Florida Woman Mauled to Death by Her Two Dogs

74-Year-Old Florida Woman Mauled to Death by Her Two Dogs

I have posted about this topic before. Sometimes dogs will attack a weak member of the pack. I have seen this watching groups of dogs, when a psychologically weak dog enters the group. Sometimes, you can almost imagine a "Kick Me" sign is on the back of these dogs, because it is so predictable what is going to happen if you let them loose in an off leash area. If this woman had a stroke, or some other debilitating medical problem, it could have triggered this attack.

Since this is normal pack behavior, should the dogs have been put down? Tough question. The common sense answer would be to separate the dogs, evaluate them to see if they are normal dogs, and if they are normal, adopt them out to a new home. The emotional answer is to just kill the dogs. The legal answer is to kill the dogs to eliminate the liability. The moral answer? That's up to you to decide since humans have rightful dominion over the animals of this world, and we have to be good stewards of one another and of the animals.

It's kind of like the situation when a shark attacks a swimmer in the ocean. Or a bear or cougar attacks a person in the wild. Humans tend to go and hunt the animal down and kill it. Is this really right? I'd say no. The animal isn't abnormal. The people should be leaving it alone, unless the animal is a menace, can't be captured, and would be likely to kill or attack again. But, if you are in their domain, not in a human domain (a city, for example), then I just don't think it is right to kill the animal since that is where they live.

A Ton Of Interesting Dog Stories

1. VIENNA TOWNSHIP, Mich. — Animal control officials in Genesee County, Michigan, apologized for mistakenly euthanizing a family's pet.

This happens more often that you might realize.

KENT, Wash. - A Kent man is furious after a dog he rescued was later euthanized by King County Animal Control.

I think some of these animal welfare groups should try taking on the animal shelters in this country. Many are poorly run, filthy, and treat dogs and their owners inhumanely. I have been appalled at some of the shelters I have visited over the years.

2. San Diego police and the county Department of Animal Services are investigating the death of a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois police dog named Forest who was found Friday in the back of his handler's squad car in Alpine, where the temperature soared to more than 100 degrees.

I question all these stories. They are like the ones where the parents leave the baby in the car all day in the sun, the baby dies, and the parents say they forgot the kid in the car. I think many of these cases, though not all of course, are purposeful and criminal.

3. Dog bites represented about one-third of all homeowners insurance claims last year, according to the study. "While the number of dog bite claims has remained about the same in the last three years, the average cost per claim continues to rise because of increased medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards, which have risen well above inflation in recent years," Loretta Worters, vice president of the Insurance Information Institute

Can you say: Dog Training! Most dog bites can be prevented. Hire a professional when you get a dog.

Filth Found At Petco Warehouse

U.S. Marshals have seized pet food stored under allegedly unsanitary conditions in a rodent-infested west suburban PETCO distribution center. The distribution center, run by the San Diego-based PETCO, stores pet food products and supplies for PETCO retail stores in 16 states, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin. According to the complaint, the FDA inspected the warehouse in April 2008, and found live and dead rodents and birds on or around the containers of pet food, as well as rodent pellets and bird droppings throughout the facility. Inspectors allegedly found holes and gaps in the warehouse allowing entry for the birds and rodents, and observed debris outside the building that can harbor rodents.

This is appalling.

Don't Let Busybodies Spoil Your Day

Dog day care may be the hot trend for pampered pets, but some homeowners in Crystal Lake are trying to pour water on a proposal to open one in their neighborhood, citing worries about yelps, smells and safety.

This is more about a bunch of busybodies than it is about doggie daycares. Properly run dog daycares, placed in areas that are zoned for business, are not a nuisance to the neighborhood. They are, in fact, a valuable asset to the community.

The first objection to this particular daycare is that it will be too noisy. The article says it will be located in an industrial building. Which means it isn't in a residence. The second objection is that the daycare will be smelly. Wrong. Doggie daycares aren't smelly. You can walk by any doggie daycare and you can't smell the dogs from the street. The third objection is the safety of children. This is a stupid charge since the dogs will be behind fencing in an industrial area of town. I have been training dogs at Paws to Play doggie daycare in Scottdale, AZ for nearly 2 1/2 years, so I can speak with some authority regarding this topic. Doggie daycares are an asset to any community. We have done amazing things for pet owners at Paws to Play, and I wholly endorse having a doggie daycare in your community.

This is a perfect example of what a bunch of dog haters will do in your town, if you let them. None of these "worries" are of a legimate nature. Dog haters, in my experience, are busybodies. They are meddlesome, snooping types who use the laws and the cover of being just normal folks to stir up strife and grief for others. They aren't normal. There is something wrong with THEM. You see these types at neighborhood meetings. They are the ones that get on your local homeowner's association boards, who introduce silly rules and harsh penalties to harm other people who are not really doing any harm to anyone.

Read this story and be warned. You have to fight back, and you have to fight hard. And in some communities, it is better to just move away and let them rot. In the end, sometimes the law will be on their side on a technicality, but in other cases, their arguments have no basis in fact and you can defeat their goofy agendas.

Don't Leave Your Dog Unsupervised In Your Back Yard!

The Salgados believe that Quantum was taken from their backyard by a man who might have been hoping to demand ransom for the dog, a trend that seems to be growing, said Jessie Miller of Animal Cruelty Heartline of El Paso.

"It is becoming more common that people are taking other people's dogs, then they call (the dog's owners) and want money," Miller said. She said she received eight such reports last year and two reports so far this year.

Proof That Breed Bans Don't Work

"The 1991 Dangerous Dogs Act has failed because of its narrow focus on four breeds of dog. The owners of any other breed are left to largely do as they please regardless of the behaviour of the dog."

They banned certain breeds of dog in Britain. The law didn't cause a reduction in dog attacks. Just as most dog lovers had predicted.

In fact: "since its introduction the number of dog attack victims treated at hospital has more than doubled."

My Dog Bites Me When I Correct Him

Does this happen to you?

There is a simple answer: Stop surfing the internet and hire a dog trainer!

Most of the time, this is a result of something being wrong in your relationship with your dog. Either you're being too rough or you are spoiling your dog. In a small percentage of these cases, the dog has a medical problem, and your dog needs evaluation from a veterinarian.

The first stop on your journey, however, is to hire a professional dog trainer in your area.

So, Is Your Dog Too Friendly With Strangers?

When most people inquire of me about this topic, they are seeking to make their dogs into protection dogs, or they are asking because their dogs are nuisances and won't leave their guests alone.

Let's just put a fine point on this once and for all, eh?

Protection Dogs

First, if your dog wasn't bred to be a protection dog, then forget it. I'm talking about a police line dog, where the parents and grandparents and so on were all police or military dogs.

Second, there is a lot of hype out there regarding which breeds are the "ultimate guard dog". Sorry folks. Look at what the professionals buy and use, not what some breeder or guy selling books has to say. If you don't see the police or military using them, then your dog is the wrong breed.

Third, just because your dog is friendly doesn't mean it won't protect you. This is where novices get it all wrong. A friendly dog can also be a very protective dog in the right circumstances. Usually what novices perceive to be a protective dog is really just a fear biter or a dog that has been made vicious (and therefore completely worthless as a protection dog). A snarling, growling dog that lunges at everyone is almost always a dog that is unsuited to be a protection dog.

The Untrained Nuisance Dog

Sometimes this inquiry is from someone who has a dog that they aren't seeking to protect them at all. Instead, they have an untrained and poorly led dog that is a nuisance and a brat. The dog jumps on guests, won't leave anyone alone, and won't calm down. That's just a training problem, and a good trainer can give you ways of dealing with this without squashing your dog's spirit.

Electrocution of Dogs!

The New York Post reporter whose bullmastiff died after being jolted by electricity from a lamppost is suing the city and Con Ed. "How many more people, how many more pets, have to give their lives to make this point clear?" Denise Buffa said as she announced the legal action.

This is not a new problem in New York. There have been other pet deaths like this. Maybe it's time for Mayor Bloomberg to stop grandstanding for useless socialist legislation and fix the basics for a change. New York is broken. It is a corrupt mess, like Chicago and Los Angeles. I'm fed up, aren't you?

Barking Mad!

Owners of bed and breakfasts have been banned from keeping dogs in their kitchens under a European Union ruling that could see hundreds of family-run businesses close. Officials claim that the animals pose a potential health and safety hazard to guests' food.

Yeah. Sure. Right.

If dogs are so hazardous, then why aren't people getting deathly ill in their own homes if they own a dog? Obviously, they aren't.

Do you see why I distrust government regulation? Do you see why I advocate free enterprise, and rail against socialist and collectivist politicians and regulators? If you allow them, they will regulate every aspect of your life.

You've got to fight back.

People Manners

What should you do if you want to bring your dog over to a friend's house, but your friend doesn't want your dog there?

Don't bring the dog.

What if you want to bring the dog over to your girlfriend's / boyfriend's / fiancé's home? What if they don't want the dog there?

Don't bring the dog... and also make sure that you don't marry someone, or move in with someone, that doesn't like dogs or doesn't want your dog around. You are just asking for a lot of trouble, and possibly a painful breakup with either your dog or that person in the end.

Not everyone likes dogs. Not everyone likes your dog. Not everyone can have a dog in their home. Not everyone can be around dogs. Not everyone should be around your dog.

Why lose a friendship or get in a fight over something like this? I bring my dogs where they are welcome.

Then again, why keep a boyfriend, girlfriend or fiancé if they don't like dogs?

If it's not your home, you don't have a right to do what you want in someone else's home. If it is going to become your home, then either get the right to have the dog or don't make a home with that person.

More On Territoriality

Here's a case where a mastiff attacked an intruder. In this case, the dog was a hero. We want our dogs to guard our property and our families. So, clearly, there's nothing wrong with a dog being territorial and attacking.

As I've said over and over again, sometimes it is OK for a dog to bite someone.

A Cautionary Lesson In Territoriality

A 33-year-old man was mauled by three dogs at a neighbor's house. Cummings went to the house, where he regularly mows the lawn, and entered a gated area of the yard. He knocked on the door to schedule a time to do yardwork, but the residents weren't home. A German shepherd mix, a pit-bull mix and a terrier mix at the house then attacked Cummings after he tried to leave the yard. Cummings managed to escape the yard and shut the gate behind him before running home, where his mother drove him to Grays Harbor Community Hospital in Aberdeen for severe injuries to his face, arms and torso.

Dogs are territorial. If you are perceived to be an UNINVITED intruder, they can attack. If the facts are as they are stated in the article, I don't blame the dogs in this case. Territoriality is a natural instinct. This guy shouldn't have entered the yard without the owners present, even if he knew the dogs.

This is why I recommend the following to all dog owners:

a. Don't leave dogs unsupervised in your yard; and if you do, recognize that they will be on patrol;
b. Know the dog bite laws in your community so you know how to defend yourself legally should an intruder enter your property;
c. Post a No Trespassing sign on your gates. Make it illegal for a non-resident to enter your property without your express permission. This might make the difference between whether you are liable or not.
d. Put a child proof lock on the gates so someone would be forced to climb into your yard to get into where the dogs are. Make it difficult to enter. Make it clear that you took steps to keep intruders out.
e. Put barriers around any "attractive nuisances" in your yard to discourage kids from climbing into your property. That means put fences around pools and trampolines. Kids are given a free legal pass to climb into your property if you have a pool that will override your "No Trespassing" sign. Make it difficult for them to do so.
f. Have a good fence around your property that is difficult to climb.
g. Have your gates spring loaded to close and lock automatically in case the gates are left open.
h. Place "Dog on Premises" signs on your gates and fences. In some cases, if you put "beware of dog" signs, then you are almost admitting you have dogs that will attack, and that might be used against you in court. So, use a more benign type of sign.
i. Use other intruder deterrent devices if you can afford them: automatic motion detector lights around the perimeter, burglar alarms, security cameras.
j. Don't get in the habit of letting workers enter your property without your express permission, and without you being present with the dogs around. I have known of workers who will act threatening to get the dogs out of their way as they enter the gates, swinging equipment on purpose, thinking they are getting the dogs to leave them alone. Many dogs will see the intruders taking a swing at them as a threat and then bite.
k. Make sure your homeowner's insurance covers dog bites so that they can defend you in case the dogs bite legally.

Not all dog bites are unjustified.

Rare Dog Breeds

Being a dog trainer, I get calls from potential customers asking my experience in working with different dog breeds. This is a reasonable question for an owner to ask. However, it doesn't reveal much to the customer when they are inquiring about a rare dog breed. I figure I've worked with approximately 75% of the AKC breeds at one time or another. However, some of the breeds are pretty rare, and I might never get a chance to work with one of them. I can only work with breeds that my customers have purchased or adopted, and that's not something I can control. Any trainer that says they have worked with tons and tons of every breed is either as old as the hills or is just plain lying.

For example, I've never worked with a Bohemian Terrier. But 99.9999999999999999999% of American dog trainers haven't worked with one, either. So, it isn't going to be of much help to a dog owner to look for that one trainer in town that has.

Similarly, if you own one of the new designer dogs, such as a Puggle, Labradoodle, or Goldendoodle, you won't get much useful information by asking a trainer how many of them have they worked with. These breeds are still pretty new, and there is going to be a wide variation of behavioral types within these new breeds for quite a while. I've worked with these breeds enough to start forming some impressions. I've worked with a handful of Puggles, for example. These dogs have been going for as much as $2,500 to $3,000 per pup, so not a lot of people can afford these dogs, and thus, I'm not going to see that many of them. I've worked with a number of Labradoodles and Goldendoodles, too. I've seen fewer of them in the past year for some reason. I'm suspecting that the fad is wearing off, and people are seeing that they are bigger dogs as adults than many people were wanting. I've been able to get some better impressions of them because I've worked with enough to see what they are all about.

I guess my point is that if you are going to buy a rare breed, then you are better off finding a good trainer than trying to find one that has worked with a lot of the type of dog you purchased. The trainers that say they have worked with a ton of dogs of a rare breed have to explain why they have seen so many of these rarities, when not many exist in the world. In many cases, I'm suspecting, they are going to be telling the buyer what they want to hear in order to make the sale. I figure, instead, it's better to just be honest and let the chips fall where they may. When you don't tell lies, you don't have to worry about them coming back to bite you one day.

Dog Trainer?

Phoenix dog trainer
Phoenix dog training
Dog Training Phoenix
Dog Trainer Phoenix

Looking for a dog trainer in the Phoenix area? Need a dog behaviorist in the Phoenix area? Or, do you need assistance, but live outside Phoenix? Send me an email. I can help you out.

I know... it's a shameless plug...

People think that all it takes to be a dog trainer is to love dogs, read a couple of books, put out the word, and the world will flock to you and love you. It's just not that simple. It takes years and years to get good. There are a lot of hard lessons to learn along the way that no one tells you about. You make a lot of mistakes early on. No one wants you experimenting on their dogs, so you should learn by training your own dogs first. And you need a mentor... and that means a heck of a lot more than just joining some program, or buying into a franchise, and paying them money to teach you about being a dog trainer. It means finding a true expert to learn from. Then you have to learn to work with pet owners. That takes time and effort, too. You can't get that from a book. If you haven't lived and been where they are, then how are you going to relate to their situations? You can't get that in a 3 week course at the local pet store. Lastly, you have to decide what kind of person you really are to see if you should be doing this at all. There are the quick buck artists out there that think that sales means tricking people, and making the bucks is so important to these greedy types that they have no problem hurting dogs to get a paycheck. Real salespeople know that sales is an honorable endeavor, and means truly helping people, not tricking them out of their money. And good business people do everything with an eye on the long term, even if it means swearing to your own hurt at times to make sure that the customer is happy and the dog is treated properly. Being a professional means keeping your integrity even when times are hard.

There's a lot to being a good dog trainer. Most people just aren't willing to pay the price to be that, even many of the ones in the business already.

Let the buyer beware.

Slippery Slope?

Police dogs in Norway are finally getting the respect they deserve. The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that they are public servants, making an assault on a police dog as serious as an attack on any police officer.

What will be the result of this precedent? I'm always concerned when the law equates animal rights with human rights.

In the old days, if you stole a man's horse, it was a hanging offense. That horse was the difference between living and dying. Maybe that's all this court was doing in a ruling like this. By harming a police dog, you are endangering the life of the police officer. IF that is what the court is saying, then I'm all for it. If, on the other hand, they are equating the life of a dog with that of a human, then this will have many undesirable side effects throughout the legal system in Norway, and possibly other countries (since it has become fashionable to use precedents made in other countries to set precedents in this country).

It Wasn't Justified

The shooting of a dog in Washoe Valley south of Reno has neighbors at odds over whether the killing was legal or justified. A black Labrador named Bucket was shot and killed Saturday morning by an employee of Kruse's Custom Meat. Butcher shop owner Tom Kruse said he's had problems in the past with Bucket getting loose and attacking chickens or rabbits on his property. He says an employee shot the dog when he found it killing a chicken.

Sorry, but I don't think this was right. It wasn't necessary. And it might have been illegal. There was no need to kill the dog. Just call animal control. Two wrongs don't make a right.

The owner should also have taken better steps after the first time this dog had gotten loose. You can't trust that other people are going to be nice to your dog if it is running loose, as you can see here.

Grief

If you've been watching the news, Tatum O'Neal was thrown into a serious tailspin by the death of her dog. I feel great empathy for her. Look, here's the deal.

First, it is devastating to lose a dog you really love. Anyone who's really into dogs knows what I'm talking about. When your dog does, man, that really sucks. Life is miserable for a time, and it is hard to not go through some serious grieving.

Second, former drug addicts are highly susceptible to relapsing if they are thrown into a serious depressive state. The drug abuse programmed their minds to crave drugs when they are depressed. Drugs can damage you for the rest of your life.

I'm hoping she's ok, and I'm hoping she's getting the support and care she needs. I also hope she gets another dog. The new dog won't replace the old dog. But, it will fill the hole in her heart, and she'll be able to move on. I wish her well.

Tune Up Time!

How long has it been since you did some formal training with your dog?

If you haven't been consistent in your training, then it is no wonder you are having issues with your dog. And it could also cost you the life of your dog in the case of an emergency.

You need to periodically update your training. So, call your trainer and set up some lessons today!

Blame Socialism. Ban Socialism.

Dog-fighting is becoming more common in Britain as youths use the animals to assert their status on housing estates... "The ownership of "status symbol" dogs by teenagers on inner-city estates -- low income neighborhoods that usually feature state housing schemes -- which are used for anti-social behavior or dog-fighting, is rising at an alarming rate," the RSPCA said. It added the use of dogs as weapons or as status symbols had become a "real problem". Youths were using the dogs to replace knives or guns to defend their territory.

Socialism harms people. Socialism is a plague on humanity. Socialism harms dogs.


My solutions?

• Make people responsible for taking care of themselves. The social safety net in these welfare states finances irresponsible living.
• Get rid of the public housing.
• Why don't these youths go looking for work? Because they are locked out of the workforce because of socialist employment policies and because it is easier for their parents to get money on the dole instead of working.
• Enforce truancy laws. These kids should be in school.
• Enforce laws that don't allow bums to be bums. Unemployment is always massively high in socialist countries, so these people have to find other ways to find importance in their lives and ways to make a buck.
• Legalize gun ownership. Criminals don't go flashing around their weapons when citizens are armed and ready to protect themselves and their neighborhoods.

I have said all along that dog fighting is a people problem, not a dog breed problem. At some point, the public is going to realize that. We didn't have these kinds of problems 50 years ago. Ask yourselves why that was. What is causing people to do these types of things?

More dog laws aren't going to stop people from doing these kinds of things. You have to get at the root of why people act in anti-social ways, and what you need to do in order to turn that around. When you go to school and have to work, you don't have time or the energy to do all these horrible things. I contend the most dangerous thing on the planet is a young man without a wife, education, and a job. We need to focus on things that encourage people to want to raise a family and be a contributing member of society. You don't do this by coddling them. Heck, you will even wreck a dog by coddling it. The best thing you can do for a kid is to put them in a stable home, keep them in school, and make sure they can find a job. Socialist policies do just the opposite. Note that the highest rates of unwed mothers is in our modern socialist countries, and in neighborhoods where socialist policies reign. And the highest unemployment and highest crime rates are in neighborhoods where socialist policies reign.

Just so you know, Barack Obama is a socialist. And he supports animal rights. What do you think that is going to mean for your right to own a dog if he is elected President?

This country and world needs moral leaders. Because of this, I have a variety of problems with Barack Obama's candidacy. Here we have an extremely charismatic, likable personality, with a reprehensible set of values. As a dog blogger, I'm particularly worried about what a pro-animal rights President would do. Right down the line, on every issue, Barack Obama is a hard core socialist. That is quite alarming. Add to that a group of radical followers, and we have the potential for a very damaging Presidency. I've been fighting against radical, anti-dog legislation and policies for a long time. I can't, in good conscience, see how any animal lover could vote for a Presidential candidate that was pro-animal rights. I don't care how likable this guy is, national animal rights legislation would be a disaster. And his support of animal rights just further fits within the radical picture that is developing of this guy. I wonder why no one has followed up with him on this issue. What kind of legislation would he pursue as President that would affect my dog? What kinds of judges would he appoint? And would an Obama Presidency almost kill all our efforts at preserving our rights to own and train our dogs, and take them in public places?

Our Declaration of Independence states what I believe was the founding principle of our country:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

I can't support any candidate that doesn't believe in this. Socialists don't believe in this. They believe men aren't created equal, they don't believe in a Creator, they don't believe in a right to life, liberty, or your pursuit of happiness.

Here's how Barack Obama thinks:

“We can't drive our SUVs and, you know, eat as much as we want and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times, whether we're living in the desert or we're living in the tundra, and then just expect every other country is going to say OK, you know, you guys go ahead keep on using 25 percent of the world's energy, even though you only account for 3 percent of the population, and we'll be fine. Don't worry about us.”

The implication is that we need laws to regulate what people eat, what they spend, where they live, and to conform with what other people think we should be doing. That's socialism. That's dangerous. It's not freedom. And it enables many evils in our lives.

And I don't know how anyone rational could vote for someone that was a socialist. I want leaders that are morally principled, not smooth talkers. I've tried and tried to find ways to like this very questionable candidate. But, everywhere I look, I see the mess that this guy is. His values are all wrong, wrapped up in a handsome and likable package.

I'm not giving up my freedom, and I'm not giving up my right to own a dog.

Neglect? Negligence? Or A Crime?

A mom who went grocery shopping while leaving her 7-week-old baby in a hot car with windows rolled up for 45 minutes was booked Saturday night on one count of child abuse, Phoenix police said. "The mother didn't seem concerned at all," said Erik Estrada, a witness. "She wasn't crying." Police said they are still trying to determine why Nichols left her daughter in the car. Nichols has two other children, ages 2 and 7, officers said. Sources told CBS 5 News she has been in trouble before for child neglect.

I wonder how many of these stories we will hear again this summer... child left in hot car, dog left in hot car, child drowns in pool, etc. We are seeing too many of these stories. It is starting to look like a pattern to me. It is starting to look purposeful. It is starting to look like copycat crimes that have a 50/50 chance of the perpetrators finding a way to murder their kids or kill their pets and get away with it.

I don't know about this specific case, because everyone should be presumed to be innocent until proven guilty... but, I'm suspecting something evil in many of these cases, where it is not just simply that people are in a rush and forgetting they left a child or pet unsupervised... that this kind of thing is purposeful and criminal in nature. I'm starting to believe that in most of these cases these parents and pet owners are mentally deranged in some way, and should be locked up or permanently kept away from kids and pets.

What are your thoughts?

Honda Dog!

Honda has discovered that people actually consider their dog's comfort when deciding which vehicle to purchase... It's about time!

Honda has sniffed out another growing demographic of potential car buyers in Japan: the dog-lover. Japan's No.2 automaker is looking to win points with canine fans using a website that offers information on dog-friendly cafes and hotels, dimensions for its cars' cargo space for stashing cages, a rating system that ranks seat fabric for ease of removing dog hair, and much more.

Go to www.honda.co.jp/dog to find out more

Puggle Training Tips

Buy the dog.

Take it to the vet.

Treat it like a dog.

Hire a good trainer.

Enjoy the dog.

It isn't rocket science folks. The problem is when people get a specialty breed, don't train it, treat it like a furry little person, and then start getting mad at the dog when it isn't living up to the fantasy that they envisioned before they got the dog. That's when reality overtakes the fantasy, the owners realize they never wanted a real dog, and then they often give the dog away or abuse it because they know nothing about how to fix the behavioral problems they instilled in the dog.

Dogs That Don't Bark A Lot

Dogs That Don't Bark A Lot

How do you find a dog that doesn't bark a lot? There are few things to consider.

Dogs that are more likely to bark will have one or more of the following traits:

a. Breeds. Most of the guarding and herding breeds are barkers. They were bred to be territorial and bark to warn off strangers. Herding breeds were also bred to bark to move herds of animals. Scent hounds were bred to bark and bay. Terriers were created to bark. Mastiffs were bred to bark. Most retrievers will bark. Pointers will bark. Almost all the little breeds bark... a lot. Spaniels bark. Setters bark. Bulldogs will bark. Nordic / spitz breeds will bark. In other words, dogs BARK!
b. Fearful: A fearful dog is much more likely to bark than a dog that isn't fearful. If you get a shy dog, then your dog is more likely to bark than if you had gotten a friendly dog.
c. High Drive: Dogs that have high desires for certain stimuli can more easily break out into barking when they are blocked from obtaining something they want, or when their particular drives are being stimulated. Thus, a dog that has a high desire to play fetch is more likely to bark than one that doesn't fetch. For example, a dog that likes to fetch will tend to bark if they can't get at the toy they have lost under the couch. Dogs that are more sociable are more likely to bark when you enter the door and they are seeking your greeting and attention and play. They will get excited about interacting with people. Dogs that have high prey drive, always on the hunt, are more likely to bark, whether they are baying hounds or barking terriers. Working dogs that want something to do are more likely to bark than couch potatoes. Dogs that are status seekers are also more likely to be barkers.
d. Talkative: Some dogs are just more noisy than other dogs. If you've ever owned a dog that tends to "talk", then you know what I mean.
e. "Reactive": Dogs that have very low thresholds for being stimulated, and who have very little ability to inhibit their behaviors, are more likely to bark. This is the type of dog that might be used as a "hearing ear" dog, for example. They will bark at the smallest sounds, and never can be taught to not bark. They never get used to, or habituate, to normal sounds in their environment. They often have exaggerated temperament traits, too, making them more difficult to own as pets.

If you are so concerned about getting a dog that barks, then maybe you shouldn't get a dog at all. Most dogs bark, and in some circumstances are more likely to bark than in others. It really isn't fair to put a dog in an environment that they will get in trouble for being themselves, and the only way to manage them is to crush them with harsh training methods. It also isn't right for us to medicate them, or use vocal surgery, or social isolation, or to enforce ridiculously strict anti-barking legislation to make them quiet. It isn't right to make a dog have a miserable life so you can have a peaceful one.

So, what are your options if you still want a dog that doesn't bark much? Look for a lazy, friendly, couch potato dog. Otherwise, rule out most dogs, regardless of the breed. Or, it just isn't the right time to get a dog.

Dog Bite Question

Q: Should I discipline my dog if it bites someone?

A: NO. It won't work, and you might just cause your dog to bite you, too. You will not prevent a future bite, either. Dog training, and behavior modification, is more complicated than this kind of simple, emotional reaction. You need to hire a good dog trainer.

Cosmetic Surgery For Pets?

DOGS having liposuction? Pups with testicle implants? How about porcelain veneers for your canine companion? It may sound barking mad, but cosmetic surgery for dogs is a very real and lucrative business.

Ridiculous. This is part and parcel of what is happening when we start to imagine animals as little furry people

Why can't a dog be a dog? What's wrong with that? And why would you let your dog become Miss Piggy?

Take The Keys!

A teen who stole a car from a grocery store parking lot also took a pet pug that was in the vehicle. Police said a 30-year-old Fond du Lac woman left the dog in her car when she went in the store about 11 p.m. Thursday, and she also left the keys inside and a window rolled down. When she returned the car was gone.

I have no problem with leaving dogs in cars when the weather is appropriately safe and the dog is safe from escaping... but... TAKE THE KEYS BEFORE YOU LEAVE THE DOG ALONE!

Do people leave keys in their cars as a regular habit anymore?

In the old days, I remember being able to go and play with my best friend, Rusty, several houses away. I was 5 years old. Mom was out of sight. The neighborhood was safe. And that's the way we used to do things. Young adults today can't even imagine what it was like for me back then.

There was a Leave It To Beaver / Andy Griffith type of world back then for a lot of people. Nowadays, it is about bicycle helmets, not letting kids play with toy guns, not taking sugary snacks to school, no hugging your best friend, never letting your kids out of your sight, and on and on. Dogs have gotten the shaft, too. Leashes all the time, ridiculous barking laws, breed bans, height and weight restrictions in apartments, and on and on.

There was a better way back then, and a lot of people lived that way. Some didn't have it so easy, especially blacks and other minorities.

We just have to figure out how to get back to that place, but next time including everyone... and their dogs.

Stuff I Don't Understand

An assessment was ordered on Friday to determine if a man who admitted to repeatedly sexually abusing an eight-year-old girl and videotaping himself having sex with his dog should be declared a long-term offender or dangerous offender.

Why?

What causes people to be this way?

And is there any other choice but to lock someone up like this for the rest of their lives?

How Goofy Are You?

Want to know how goofy people are?

I received a recent inquiry from someone wanting to know if their dog was vicious. Their dog bit them after they hit their dog. Duh. It's an ANIMAL. It's not going to let you just hurt it and take it.

Then I get the people coming to my blog trying to find pit fighting dogs. Unfortunately, my blog doesn't encourage barbarism, and I hope they get a good slap upside the head when they find out I hate dog fighting, and think those that do it are morons.

Or the people who are too cheap to go to the vet, so they are surfing the internet for answers instead. Some stuff you need a doctor. Got it? You can't wait. You can't treat it yourself. Your dog is suffering or dying. Get to the vet NOW!

Or the lazy, but well meaning, people that believe all the hype some dog trainers tell them, without getting references to check out the claims. There are abusive trainers out there. I know of a couple of liars and nutcases that I wish would just go out of business today. There are so-called trainers out there that will fry dogs with electric collars. But, it's not my job to go after them. Let the law do it. Let the media do it. Let them hang themselves. I know this: what comes around, goes around. I have a number of past customers who have told me stories that I won't print here about trainers that charged them huge fees and got nothing meaningful in return. I know of one customer who spent $3,000 to have her dogs house trained. The trainer came for 2 hours and left them with a pamphet. It didn't work. Check out what I charge to house train your dog. Any trainer that claims they can give a complete and permanent solution to any and every dog problem, and train any dog to do anything, without you doing anything, is a liar. And any person who hires such a liar will come to regret what happens to their dog. Why, there are guys out there that will claim they can protection train any dog. Sorry, if it was that easy, then the police wouldn't have to spend tens of thousands of dollars to obtain specially bred dogs.

And on and on.

Common sense isn't so common, I guess.

Dogs Do Prevent Crime

A family dog is being hailed a hero after it stopped an intruder from breaking into their Madison Heights home while two teenagers were home alone. Her dog ran to the intruder and cornered him behind the back door, preventing him from leaving.

There are legitimate reasons for a dog to attack. We should remember that when enacting laws. And we should ignore the dog haters who would ban dogs from our communities, parks, neighborhoods, apartment complexes, and so forth. And we should remember that when passing barking laws. Those barking dogs drive criminals away. I'd rather have some false alarms, hearing some neighborhood dogs bark from time to time, than have my home broken into, or a family member harmed, by some nutcase.

Slippery Slope

Another council has been caught using surveillance laws designed to combat organised criminals - this time to catch dog owners whose pets foul the grass. One MP accused the council of playing at "Dick Tracy" detectives. Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, condemned his local borough council for employing the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa), which is intended for use "in the interests of national security", saying "some semblance of sanity" needed to be restored.

We trust public officials to maintain public order. We also pass laws for specific purposes. Laws, however, can be abused by overzealous prosecutors. Here's a good example of that. If anyone thinks that prosecutors don't have too much power, all you have to do is look at the Duke lacrosse players incident. When you abuse the law as a public official, you cause people to lose respect for authority. Do you really think that the people in North Korea respect the leaders? Or are they just intimidated by them? What comes around, goes around in this world. Elliot Spitzer comes to mind.

We pass anti-terror laws to protect us against terrorists. Do this kind of thing with the law, the public will demand the law be repealed, and then the real criminals will eventually kill someone.

All this, just to clean up some dog poop?

Reminds me of this...

Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Wash Your Hands After Handling Dog Food

Contaminated dry dog food contributed to a Salmonella outbreak in 2007 that sickened at least 70 people in 19 states in 2006 and 2007, many of them babies, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported today.

A spate of Salmonella outbreaks in humans has been connected to handling pet treats such as pig ears or food snacks, pet vitamins, and raw-food diets. However, the CDC said the S Schwarzengrund outbreak is the first to be associated with dry pet food.

The CDC advises people to wash their hands with warm soapy water for 20 seconds after handling dry pet food, treats, or supplements to avoid getting sick from contaminated pet food. It also advises keeping infants away from pet feeding areas and making sure young children don't touch or eat the items.

I didn't know that. I am definitely going to be more careful in the future.

Pet Insurance

Mike Pickard, head of pet insurance at esure, which commissioned the research, said: "Today's household pets are treated more like members of the family and this new attitude is reflected in the amount owners spend on their pet's lifestyle. "Despite this, many pets remain uninsured. Vets' fees can be very expensive and owners should bear in mind that, ultimately, their pet's health is more important than the latest dog accessories or expensive treats."

I used to be a skeptic of pet insurance, but no longer. I'm going to buy it for my next dog. I used to think that dogs were pretty healthy. Many people think that mixed bred dogs are healthier than purebred dogs. Wrong. Sorry. I've watched my customers have to spend just as much on their mutts as their prized show dogs. There is no documented study, to my knowledge, that proves that mutts are any healthier than pure breds. Thus, I'm sure this is another urban legend promoted by the animal rights wackos to destroy dog breeders.

OH, Canada! What Is Wrong With You?!

The Supreme Court of Canada on Friday ruled that random drug searches using police sniffer dogs are unlawful, citing constitutional protections from unreasonable search and seizure... a man was arrested at a Calgary bus depot in January 2002 by officers on the lookout for drug couriers after a black labrador named Chevy sniffed drugs in his luggage. A subsequent search of the man, who was approached at first because he stared suspiciously at police, found 17 ounces (482 grams) of cocaine in his bag and a small amount of heroine in his pocket. "The sniff in this case was an unreasonable search since the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) officer did not have grounds for reasonable suspicion at the time the dog was called."

Great. So, I assume, if the dog smelled bomb material instead of cocaine, and the man was at an airport instead of at the bus station, then the Canadian Supreme Court would have let the man onto the plane, let him blow himself up, and let possibly thousands of people die.

We are in a period not unlike that prior to WW II, where the people let themselves be led by pacifists in order to avoid the reality of the fact that the world was heading towards catastrophe. Leftists leaders have led nations like Canada into a moral paralysis not unlike what the world saw in the 1930's. People have forgotten history, and are therefore, doomed to repeat it. Look at the ignorant statements of Barack Obama, saying the US should talk to its enemies, in the same manner as FDR, Truman, and Kennedy did. HUH? Did FDR negotiate with Hitler? Did they sit down and have tea together to discuss how best to roast Jews in the Nazi ovens? Hmm... let's see. Nope. FDR went to war against those fanatics and sent 5 million of those arrogant, vicious, preening, goose stepping cultists to death. It was the only way. Didn't Truman drop 2 nuclear weapons on Japan because there was no way to negotiate with the fanatics in power there? Didn't Kennedy take the world to the brink of nuclear war during the Cuban Missile crisis? None of these three were pacifists, and none of them disarmed the Western world when facing down ruthless enemies. We are toying with the ideas of the past that led to calamity because we don't want to face the fact that this is a dangerous world.

If a police officer can identify something illegal going on in a public place using a dog, then the police officer should act. You don't have a reasonable right of privacy everywhere you go. In this case, it happened to be drugs that the dog smelled. Drugs are serious business. They KILL people. Ever read about what meth does to people's lives sometime? Or cocaine? It's not a game. It isn't like drinking a beer while you are barbecuing some hamburgers for the family picnic. And what if next time it was a bomb or a chemical weapon? Then whose civil rights are more important to everyone? The rights of the fanatic or the rights of the thousands of people the fanatic is intending on killing?

And so what if this is Canada, some might say. Let them do what they want there and we'll do what we want here. That's all fine and dandy until a group of these nutcases board planes in Canada and sets off bombs simultaneously in some other country and kills thousands of people. Don't think that is a reality? This same scenario was stopped last year, only the fanatics involved were going to come flying in from Europe into the US.

This ruling should be reversed by the Canadian legislature, and those judges should be chucked out of office, leaving with the same shame that will forever be attached to Neville Chamberlain. Good people should not sit idly by and let evil have it's way.

DMX Arrested On Animal Cruelty Charges

After a 7-month investigation, Maricopa County Sheriff's deputies arrested Earl Simmons, better known as rapper DMX, at his Cave Creek home early Friday morning on suspicion of misdemeanor animal cruelty and felony drug possession.

Deputies on Friday also confiscated marijuana that appeared to be packaged for sale, drug paraphernalia and weapons, according to a court document.

Read the article. A lot of dogs died in this case. DMX. What a stupid nickname. Now it is going to be ITLMV (In Trouble Like Michael Vick)... or something like that.

I think he's an idiot.

Dogs Are Not Playmates

“The grandmother said the teen was on the trampoline and could not get off because the dog was still trying to get him. Animal Control arrived and was able to subdue the dog,” he said.

“The teen told officers that he was playing with the dog when he decided to go inside the residence,” said Mitchell. “He ran toward the residence toward the back door when suddenly he was bitten on the leg by the dog and knocked to the ground. He had tried to get the dog off but that’s when the dog bit him on the head. He was finally able to break free but had to get on top of the trampoline where the dog couldn’t get to him.”

People just don't get the idea that dogs are not playmates. Dogs are dogs, and for some, if you treat them like playmates, you lose your authority with them and they will try to control you by force. There are ways to play with and enjoy dogs properly, and there are things that will get you in a heap of trouble with some dogs. I think the latter was going on here. Too bad the kid was bitten and too bad the dog will be put to death. That's why you should work with a dog trainer with every new dog you get. You'd be amazed at what stuff I see people do with their dogs that is unwise.

Negligence

A woman locked a dog in a bedroom until it died of starvation because she was "too knackered" to care for it.

Negligence is defined as: failure to exercise the care that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in like circumstances.

Some negligence is civil, some is criminal...

Carlisle told the court: "I just couldn't hack it. I didn't have the time. I had to go to YMCA for a training course and had to get up early and sometimes I was knackered when I came back.

She was ordered to complete 60 hours of unpaid work, pay £250 costs and was banned for life from keeping animals.

Look, this person has got to be a total nutcase to do this kind of thing. This should have been treated as a criminal matter. We should arrest and jail people for intentionally starving helpless animals to death.

Rent A Dog?

Animal welfare organisations expressed concern about a rent-a-dog service introduced in Britain which allows busy people to own part-time pets.

If I wouldn't let some stranger walk off with my dog, then why would I set up a business where strangers could walk off with my dog? Crazy. People don't take care of things to the same level of care that they do with things that are their own.

Kids and Dogs... Another Bite That Could Have Been Prevented

Kids and Dogs... Another Bite That Could Have Been Prevented

A TWO-YEAR-OLD girl has been bitten on the ear and head by a long-haired labrador after she took away his bone on a country property in Victoria's north.

Was this a pit bull? No. Was this a Rottweiler? No. Just an average dog in an average town doing what dogs do.

Dogs and small kids SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNSUPERVISED. This type of situation, where the kid takes the dog's bone is a sure fire way of triggering a bite. Small kids should not be messing with a dog's bone, and parents need to be aware of this and put the bones away when the dog and child are together. Similarly, kids need to be kept away from the dog's food bowl when the dog is eating.

Yes, I know you can do all kinds of training and socializing with dogs to try and prevent this kind of thing. But, you are still messing with nature and you are taking chances that you shouldn't be taking.

Watch dogs play sometime and see what the rules of the pack are. All the training in the world won't change the fact that dogs are dogs.

Off Leash Park Hazards

A greyhound was fatally injured in a collision with another dog at the off-leash park in Sequim.

I am sure there are a lot of unreported injuries at off leash parks. Some dogs and activities bring a lot of risk to some dogs. For example, some of the large breeds have a tendency to run and smash into the sides of other dogs, which can blow out the knee joint of the dog that was hit. I know a breeder who does not let her large breed dogs play at full speed together for this very reason. With smaller dogs, say under 70 lbs, this isn't typically a problem. They are more agile and usually have quicker reflexes. You just have to watch what is going on in such a situation and get your dog out of there if you see something that looks risky.

I am not opposed to off leash parks, just so you know... It is just that they are unregulated and managed by novices who might not see the risks before it is too late.

Communism... Doncha Love It?

Outraged that his Internet posting about dogs had been banned, Chen Yuhua wrote to the mayor of Beijing. No answer. He wrote to the city council. Still no answer. When all else failed, he consulted a lawyer, studied China's civil code and marched into court with a lawsuit... it was also a sign that, beneath the ever more prosperous surface, some of China's educated elite may be growing impatient with a one-party authoritarian system in which anonymous bureaucrats decide what movies, plays, novels or social commentaries are safe enough for public consumption. Chen's posting was an attack on the Beijing municipal government's regulations barring any dog over 14 inches high and restricting each family to only one dog. These rules are unreasonable and are enforced arbitrarily, he contended in his essay. "It is so funny that people may have a 35-centimeter-high dog but may not have a 36-centimeter-high dog," he said. Criticism of government policies and nonconformist political views, however, are not taken lightly in China.

China is a great nation, and I highly respect the Chinese people. Hopefully, they will throw off the chains of Communism soon. This is how silly it gets when you try to over-regulate people. We even see this kind of garbage here in the good ol' free US of A... proposed pit bull bans, stupid anti-barking laws, and on and on. No one likes a world run by a bunch of busybodies.

Case in point...

"Subject: Barking dog

Dear Sam,

Hello. Wondering if you have any ideas for the following situation? I have a neighbor behind my house, who happens to be a deputy sheriff who do not want my dog to bark AT ALL; and has nearly gotten me a MISDEMEANOR with potential jail time, because of my barking dog. I have a 5 year old dog who is mainly an in-doors pet. I adopted her from the dog pound 4 years ago. This dog barks when the door bell rings, when hears someone comes into the yard, loud noises etc) and has a rather loud bark. --I don't believe it barks excessively or constantly, nor any of my neighbors, except for the one deputy neighbor of mine. Who called the police to my home 7 times since I moved to the neighborhood, left nasty notes at my door, and ultimately landed me in court to face a poss. misdemeanor, which I fought and got dismissed. I've tried citronella sprays, shock collars, anti-bark devices, correcting the dog immediately when it barks etc. Despite all that an my best efforts to keep her quiet, the dog still barks (though not excessively) for the above reasons... What else is there to do?? I am at a point that I am about to take the dog back to the pound. My kids are in tears every day about it, and that is not really what I'd like to do, but this neighbor has managed to harass us constantly that we live in a continued stress and worrying that the dog may bark. I've heard about a surgery where the dog's vocal cords can be removed. Is that recommended in a case such as this?? And, what is involved with doing that?? I would appreciate your advice."

I'd do what this guy did in China... Maybe it will work here. Banning barking and making it criminal is no different than banning dogs. Dogs make noise, folks. Get used to it.

The Cause?

PRESCOTT, Ariz. -- A Paulden man slit his dog's throat after complaining that the dog was staring at him, then assaulted the deputies trying to arrest him, the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office said.

Drugs? Mental Illness? Who knows what causes people to do things like this. I wonder how many pets suffer at the hands of people who are addicted or who need professional psychiatric help.

Dogknapping!

A Yorkshire terrier snatched from the arms of its 13-year-old owner in Hawthorne remains missing four days after the theft. Hayes' daughter was walking home with two friends about 3:30 p.m. Friday in the 4200 block of 116th Street when they were approached by a woman who asked to see the dog, named Lil-Man. Ishii said it is uncommon for dogs to be stolen right from an owner's arms; pet thieves usually take dogs from backyards. However, recently there have been a string of pet thefts in the Los Angeles area, including an incident last month at a La Mirada pet store.

Most crimes like this are to support a drug habit or some kind of organized crime related to drugs, is my guess. I wrestled for a long time over whether or not to legalize illegal drugs. After seeing what it does to to people, knowing of people who have died, and how it affects society, I am solidly convinced that illegal drugs should stay illegal.

I know that people can get into desperate straights in life. I know that young people can do dumb things to try and fit in, and abuse drugs and alcohol. And I have compassion for them. Yet, once hooked, they harm themselves and others. The greater compassion is to not enable them to further injure themselves or others.

(By the way, notice that dogs are increasingly being stolen in LA, and what filth happens there eventually moves out across the rest of the country. and mostly from back yards. Don't leave your dog unsupervised in the back yard, especially if it is a purebred or pit bull!)

What About Prong And Chain Collars?

Some things in dog training don't make sense to a novice. There are a lot of things like that in life.

Dog killer gets 30 days in jail

During the trial, jurors heard testimony of how one man held down the miniature Yorkshire terrier named Gizmo while Crawford got a running start and kicked the animal high in the air.

What kind of person do you have to be to do something purposeful like this?

Freak Accidents

Firefighters said a grease fire that left $50,000 in damage to a Topeka home erupted after a dog shut a woman out of the house while fish was frying on the stove.

Sound like something that can't happen to you? I know of a similar situation that happened to someone I know earlier this year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Enjoy yourselves!

By the way: 1.) Keep holiday foods away from dogs. Much of it can kill a dog, especially fatty things like the turkey skin; 2.) Watch escape points from the house so your dog doesn't run away; 3.) Protect your dog from guests and your guests from your dog.

Can You Tell Me How This Makes Sense?

Can You Tell Me How This Makes Sense?

Woman gets a dog (pit bull) two days ago

Dog is left in the yard and it digs up the plants

Woman hits dog

Dog bites woman

Dog is taken by animal control and the dog is going to be put to death.

Why should it be OK for someone to hit a dog and then it not be OK for the dog to defend itself from someone that isn't its pack leader?

Kids And Dogs

Kids And Dogs

Follow me and see where I'm going... The first story is about a dog who attacked and killed a kid in Phoenix:

A family is grieving after learning their pet dog is responsible for mauling their four-year-old loved one to death. Sheriff's deputies say initially the dog nipped and grabbed at Tori's arm when she and her sister were alone in the backyard. The two girls were in the presence of three other dogs, including a pair of terriers that were staying at the home temporarily. When Rachelle went to get help from the nanny inside the home, the dog started grabbing a Tori's throat. A close family friend, Dani During, said she believes the dog got jealous of the two terriers that had been staying at the house.

During said that the dog seemed friendly and would jump on and lick visitors to the home. The family adopted the dog about a year ago. During contends the bulldog may have become jealous when he attacked because Tori was playing with other dogs the family was keeping temporarily.

Then here is the second story:

Police are still looking into what exactly happened in a Waukegan apartment early Sunday morning when a dachshund chewed off the genitals of a 4-month-old boy. The father of the boy told police he was visiting his girlfriend with his son when the infant fell asleep on a couch. The girlfriend had placed blankets around the child and the two went into another room to sleep. Police said the girlfriend’s dachshund may have smelled urine in the child’s diaper and began to chew away at the diaper. The dog continued to destroy the diaper until he mutilated and ingested the child’s genitals. The girlfriend awoke to the child screaming and immediately called 911.


First thing I notice, as a dog trainer, is that in both situations THE KIDS WERE LEFT ALONE WITH THE DOGS! Kids and dogs SHOULD NOT BE LEFT UNSUPERVISED WITH A DOG, EVER! I don't believe a child under 12 years old should be left alone with a dog. The whole social situation changes when the adults leave the area, and behaviors that would be inhibited by the presence of the adults are no longer restrained. The behavior of the kids changes when the adults aren't present, and they will do things they shouldn't do. The behavior of the dogs changes when the adults aren't present, too, and they will do things that they shouldn't do.

Second, I am especially concerned about the set up of the first story. In this situation, there were new dogs introduced into the home. That can, and probably did, set up a competitive situation. That is one reason why we don't let strangers enter into the daycare area at Paws To Play doggie daycare without our direct supervision. Even friendly dogs can do bad things when ignorant people do dumb things with them.

There is a way to enter a pack of dogs. First, you need to walk in calmly, allow the dogs to properly greet you, and then and only THEN should you consider giving any affection. Most people do it the other way around, and that can set up either a dog fight or someone being bitten. This little girl was apparently playing with the two terriers. Most people don't know how to read dog behavior in a situation like this, and don't realize that a fight is about to break out. Kids have a tendency to nurture dogs that are being picked on by bigger dogs, or to gravitate towards the vulnerable looking dog. Kids MUST be supervised, because you have to know how to approach and interact with dogs that have not formed a pack. This is also why you should never let your kid go unsupervised into a friend's backyard when dogs are present or into a leash free dog park.

I notice that in the first story, "the dog seemed friendly and would jump on and lick visitors to the home." Dogs that are jumping up on guests on greetings are more likely to engage in a dog fight when a competitive situation arises. Many people interpret jumping up and licking guests to be a friendly behavior set. Not always. It can be rude and often can be a clue something about the dog's status in the home. I recently entered the home of a potential customer, the dogs started jumping up on me, a bit too hard, the owner was telling me how friendly they were, I was starting to say how rude they were (and was about to tell him to separate the dogs), when a dog fight broke out. The jumping up on me wasn't friendly at all. I think it very possible that this kind of competitive situation happened with this little girl who was mauled to death. Spoiled dogs often are the rudest of dogs. I have written about them before. Spoiled dogs don't have proper leadership, and that can lead to a situation such as this. Spoiled kids can also trigger such an attack. I've offended a number of customers when I told them to modify how their kids interact with the dog. I lost a potentially good customer the other day for that very reason. Let's just hope that something tragic like this never happens in their family.

Third, if you read the stories, you'll find that the kid that was mauled to death was playing on a swing set. I have evaluated a handful of dogs that were overly stimulated by kids on swing sets, and would bite at them as they were swinging or when they got off the swing. I think swing sets stimulate a dog much the same way as swinging a rag around can stimulate some dogs. It frustrates them and frustration can lead to aggression. If you watch a protection dog trainer run around a dog, back and forth, to try and stimulate the dog to bite, then you'll see what I mean. I think that swing sets can do the same around some dogs.

Who knows? There could be alternate reasons why these horrible things happened to these kids. News reporting can oftentimes leave out important story details since reporters aren't dog behaviorists or trainers. They just tell the story that was told to them. But, I think my take on the story is probably the best explanation of what happened given what we know at this juncture. And now that the dogs are dead, and we aren't there to set up an evaluation, we will never know.

I will say this: If you get a dog, and you don't train it, enforce proper manners, supervise the dog when it is loose, and contain the dog when it can't be supervised, then you are asking for trouble. This is more than just getting some treats and going through a couple of classes at your local pet store. And if you have a kid: never leave the kid unsupervised with a dog, and teach the kids how to act around a dog. Don't let your kid be unmannerly around a dog, or you could be very sorry one day.

Puggles: I Told You So!

The appeal of the puggle is evident at first glance: A puggle puppy inherits a slightly less smushed-in face than its pug progenitor, framed by the floppy ears of the beagle parent. It is cuteness defined. But the puggle's downfall is not its appearance. It is its energy level. While pugs have been bred for centuries for companionship, they have a reputation for clownish stubbornness. This gets taken to NASCAR levels with the infusion of beagle blood. An unapologetic hunting dog, the beagle gives voice when he is excited, or frustrated, or bored, or basically just breathing. He laughs at your obedience-class enrollment forms, preferring instead to dig up the dahlia bed or bark nonstop. As a result, while a puggle is a delight to look at, he is a challenge to live with. The word that recurs in conversation with rescuers is "hyper."

Scroll through this blog and find the articles I have written on the Puggle, and then read the comments. Now, as I predicted, Puggles are starting to fill up the animal shelters. As I predicted, they would be hard to house train. As I predicted, they are a lot like a Beagle... on steroids. It has a long way to go before it should be considered a breed. And you have a lot of homework to do before you breed or buy one. If you already have a Puggle, hire a good professional and get to work. You still can have a great dog, but this is not a dog for novice or lazy dog owners.