Dog Training Scammers

I've been around dog training for a long time. I've seen a lot of things, met a lot of dogs, trained a lot of people. There is one type of person that I have come to understand very well... the dog training scammer...

These are they types that call me to an appointment, then say that they are not yet ready to start training but have a few more questions. OK...

How would you do this? How would you train my dog to do that? And so on.

They aren't interviewing me, they are looking to get free training. They are scammers. They never end up hiring me.

I think there are people out there that are brought up to be thieves. Somehow in their upbringing, they are taught that it is OK to steal, to scam people. It is actually a very strange phenomenon if you are someone who never steals.

Anyway, no harm no foul. I had one of these a few days ago, spotted it right away, and got out of there after a minimal amount of minutes. In the old days, I would try to get the appointment, thinking they were real students. But, it didn't take long to figure out the game. And it is a game. You can see it in their questions, their faces, everything. It is a scam.

If anything, I feel sorry for the dog that won't get trained. And I am not happy that my time was wasted on them instead of someone who really cared more about their dog than saving a few bucks.

Dog Training And Feelings

I train a lot of dogs. I see a lot of dogs. Every once in a while, however, I come across a dog that I know would be “mine” if I was looking for a new dog…

I think dogs and owners select each other. You somehow connect with a dog, and the dog with you, and it just works. I can’t explain it all that well, but you know what I’m talking about if it has ever happened.

In your gut, you know that would be the perfect dog for you. Of course, when I’m training dogs for my students, I’m not actually looking to take their dog from them. It is just that I get a connection every once in a while with a dog, and I know that dog would be a great dog for me if I was looking to adopt a dog.

I think when you are looking to get a dog, you’ll also get that gut feeling when it is right. When all the traits line up, but also that special feeling inside is there, that is the dog. Get that one. That is the Pearl of Great Price.

Dog Training Enthusiasm

I love seeing motivated students. They get the most out of their dog training lessons: lessons are scheduled; appointments are kept; homework is diligently applied; supplies are obtained; attitude is excellent. Sometimes I see students who try to get ahead of the homework. That is usually a mistake. Proper technique has to go hand-in-hand with enthusiasm to get the best results…

I saw this yesterday. We are early into the lessons. They were trying to do more than we have worked on so far, and it wasn’t working. Fortunately, I don’t teach harsh methods, so the things they tried produced no harm. That could be, however, a disaster if working with a trainer who uses harsh methods. I see this sometimes with people who work with dog trainers who specialize in using electric collars. These homemade approaches make things worse, and we have to fix what they have damaged.

In my lesson yesterday, I showed them the proper techniques, worked on them together, and now the dogs are doing more than they were the previous day… correctly. The owner was surprised how easy it was for me, and when they started doing it correctly, it started working for them, as well.

Enthusiasm is great energy. It just has to be channeled properly.

Dog Training A Chow Chow

I’m currently training a 3 year old rescued male Chow Chow. When I first met him, he first came and checked me out in the yard, no aggression, just sniffed me, and then went away. I then went inside the home and went over his training goal and the dog’s history. We then went to work.

First issue was that the dog was quite dirty. But he didn’t want to be brushed or bathed. Chow Chows will bite people they don’t know and trust. I needed to get the dog to trust and bond to his new owner. Next issue was getting a leash and collar on the dog. He didn’t want that, either.

We are now several lessons into this dog, and things are turning out well. The dog will now allow the owner to brush and handle him. We can get a leash and collar on him. He is a happy dog, smiling all the time, comes up to give you kisses on your hands, and a happy tail when you interact with him. We are also working on Basic Obedience. He has been introduced to Heel, Sit, Down, and Come.

In order to get the best results from a Chow Chow, you have to gain their trust and affection. Everything else flows from there. We are well on our way. I like this dog, and I like the owner. They are a good match. I have a game plan for them, and it is all going quite well. Today we had a great lesson, and I see them again this weekend. I’m looking forward to it!

Happy Training!

Dog Training Husbands and Wives

A few years ago, I was hired to help with a male Vizsla that was fearful of strangers. When I first evaluated the dog, yes, he would react when he saw someone he didn’t know. His defensive zone was approximately 30 yards. Within that zone, he would start barking. The dog was also afraid of the husband, and would bark at him in the home. What was the cause? Let me explain…

Dog Training On Dangerous Turf

I train dogs throughout Maricopa County. I have been in most neighborhoods and train all types of dogs. Yesterday, I had and evaluation and lesson set up for an aggressive pit bull near Sky Harbor airport. Not a safe dog. Not a safe neighborhood. Lots of people wish they had my job, but they are not aware of some of the situations I encounter. In this case, the owner’s mom said she was afraid of her son’s dog, and proceeded to set up an evaluation and lessons...

My Yorkie Needs Training

I have trained many small dogs throughout my career. One of my favorites are the Yorkies. “Yorkies”, or more properly, Yorkshire Terriers, are enjoyable small intelligent companions.

My first impression of a dog is always whether it is fearful or social. Most Yorkies I have encountered have been social, right from the start, especially if I sit down at a sofa. Immediately, they are coming over to me, climbing up on my lap, getting their noses near my face, and boom… I get a few, or a lot of kisses. They will then go about their business, yet come back several times to engage me.

In almost all cases, the first issue that comes up is house training. Most Yorkies are pottying in the home when I meet them. These are smart little doggies that just need some proper guidance, and the owners need a solid potty training program, to sort this out. It takes a bit of effort, but if the owners are diligent in implementing the program I give them, we stop the accidents in the home.

The second issue is, of course, obedience. Surprisingly, most tiny dog owners don’t do a lot of obedience training with their dogs. Yorkies are highly trainable dogs, being able to work up to advanced obedience, if you just put in the time. Some of the problem is that the owners don’t have very high expectations of their dogs. I think they figure obedience is for big dogs, and they expect their little dogs to not listen to them.

A trained dog is a happy dog. A trained dog is a joy to live with. A trained dog is a safe dog, because you can call them back if they get away from you. The owners that decide to finish the training are much better off than the ones that only dabble in the training.

At first, Yorkies are going to be like most terriers, distracted with everything around them… the blowing leaf, that man over there, a dog walking by, scents on the ground, and such. Maybe owners just figure that their dogs are not trainable when they see this, and don’t realize the positive effects that proper obedience training will have on their dogs. With a proper program, and full follow through on the part of the owner, these dogs can be peppy and obedient companions.

I like Yorkies. Super nice dogs. I like training them, and every owner I have met has been a very nice and caring person for their dog. I did a house training lesson for a Yorkie yesterday. We are going to do his first obedience lesson in 2 weeks. I hope we get to finish the entire program together. He is a very funny, intelligent, social dog.

Training Happens

Learning happens all the time. Your body and brain learn every moment you are alive. Every experience modifies us. The same is true of your dog. Learning is much more than Sit, Down, Come and Heel. Your dog’s entire body is learning all the time. Your dog is affected by its sleep, exercise, nutrition, levels of stress, environment, past learning and experiences, lessons, interactions with other animals and people, weather, and so on...

Today’s Project – PATCHES Animal Shelter Proposal

For the past 5 years, I have been working to turn Phoenix, including Maricopa County, into a no kill community. Our town kills thousands of adoptable cats and dogs every year because of our terrible rescue system. I set out to change that in 2013, and continue to pursue change. I started talking about this with rescue friends. Others have had similar ideas, but they needed to be coordinated into a working group.

The first meeting, we were sitting at an outside restaurant table at Tempe Marketplace, discussing this as a concept. That led to numerous private meetings at libraries to dissect the problem and to gather information. Citizens Animal Welfare Society was established in 2015 to attempt to privatize Maricopa County Animal Care and Control. That project has melded into the PATCHES Project, a shared workspace/ shelter project to take in the overflow animals of the County and to support all the good animal rescue organizations in our community.

This afternoon, we have a meeting with our development team. We are preparing to build and operate our own private animal shelter, called PATCHES. You can learn more about it by going to PatchesAZ.org. We have assembled a fine team of professionals. We are here to help. PATCHES is not an adversarial organization. It is here to open several private non-profit shelters throughout Maricopa County.

Many fine people have come and gone along the way. Lives change, people have other ideas, relationships change. What hasn’t changed is that innocent adoptable pets are being killed. That still is my passion, and the passion of our team.

Dog Training vs Practice

Most people don’t know the difference between dog training, and practice. Training is what you do with me, practice is what I want you to work on from that lesson.

Today's Lesson - Separation Anxiety

I'm heading out to do a lesson for a 1 year old pit bull with bad separation anxiety. The family can't leave the dog alone at home, can't leave him in a crate, either. He is destructive, and will chew and destroy his way out of a crate. They have tried CBD oil, but that isn't a solution. He needs behavior modification.

I'm very familiar with this kind of dog issue. Drugs, without behavior work, are a waste. They won't solve the problem. That's where I come in...

Happy New Year!!

I recommend setting training and socialization goals for each of your dogs for 2019.

First, it is time to clean up any behavioral and emotional issues. Afraid of fireworks? Fearful of strangers? Reactive to other dogs? Separation anxiety? Jumping on guests?

Second, if your dog hasn't completed Basic Obedience, then let's get that accomplished in 2019. If you've already done that, then consider Intermediate Obedience. After that, how about Advanced Obedience.

Third, how about other things that can use work... such as... teaching your dog to swim. Getting your dog ready for hiking. Getting your dog ready for your vacation.

Lastly, maybe it is time to consider training your dog to be a therapy dog. Your dog is social with people and other animals? That is the foundation, and we'll work from there.

You can have a lot more enjoyment... and so can your dog... if you plan on it being that way in 2019!

Dog Training Tip: Negative Self Talk

I see it all the time. When I coach students, from beginners to advanced, they engage in negative self talk as they work with their dogs. These personal put downs don’t help their training, instead they are roadblocks to better results. In some cases, the negative self talk is an indicator that the student is about to quit the training and to quit on their dog. Dog training isn’t just about training the dogs, it is also about training the people. If the handler’s head isn’t on straight, then the training isn’t going to work out over time...

It’s Not You, It’s The Dog

When you train enough dogs… you learn a lot about human behavior, both bad and good. One interesting phenomenon is the Blame Game. Here’s an example of how that works.

A retired couple decides to get a puppy. They are used to living with adult dogs, and it’s been years since they had a puppy. They are used to the old dogs they had previously puttering around the home, low maintenance, easy affection, low drives, running on automatic. Things have changed in their lives over the years. They also find themselves puttering around the home, living a low maintenance lifestyle, easy affection from family and friends, low drives, running life on automatic.

Now, along comes this energetic puppy. At first, they figure the puppy will just go along and get along. So, no planning went into this adoption or purchase. They didn’t count the cost in advance, didn’t think this through. First problem: peeing and pooping in the home. Next problem: jumping and biting and chewing. Their response often is to react, not train the puppy. I’ve seen a lot of puppies that have been hit by retired folks. Hitting isn’t training, it is abusive. But, they don’t see it that way at this point. They think they are training the puppy, yet behaviors keep getting worse. In some cases, the puppy mouthing becomes true aggression as the owners hit the dog more and more.

Then, they often start arguing among themselves. Maybe the husband wanted the puppy, but the wife didn’t. The Blame Game starts.

They blame the untrained dog for not being trained. They blame each other for the dog situation, and start arguing. The extended family gets involved, and starts blaming the dog, their parents/ grandparents. Hurt feelings begin to develop.

After enough “do it yourself” attempts to train the puppy, they decide to get professional help. This is where I am asked to step in. I’ve seen this situation a million times… “If we can’t get this fixed, then we will have to get rid of the dog”, is the typical thing I’m told.

This is now the fork in the road. Some go one way, others go the other way.

The first way is that they hire me, I start lessons, but I soon find out they are just letting it go in one ear and out the other. Each time I come back, there are excuses for why they didn’t do any of the lessons. Or they have forgotten what I told them, lost their notes, didn’t get the required supplies, and so on. They will start to insinuate that it is now my fault that the dog isn’t getting better. The Blame Game is still going on, but now I’m also one of the the lightning rods. They always find something or someone else to blame. I try to gently but clearly encourage them, at first, to do the lessons, because that will solve the issues. I know, because I do this every day. But, soon, if they aren’t doing anything, just giving lip service to the training, and still blaming the dog and everyone else, I need to ask them if they are truly committed to training the dog. They will, at first, say they are, or will try 40 different ways of avoiding answering the question. I know where this is going, soon I will be told they are giving up on the dog. It is the dog’s fault. And they are too old, too busy, wanted a different lifestyle, the wife didn’t want a dog in the first place, the extended family has talked them out of it, and so on. So they get rid of the dog, now with behavioral problems they created, and I never hear from them again.

The second way is that they hire me, I start lessons, they do the homework, and in a relatively short period of time, the problems melt away. These folks often do full obedience work with the dog. They aren’t any younger than this other couple. Don’t have more time. Don’t have more money. Don’t have fewer age related health issues. They just have one different thing: they don’t do the Blame Game. They don’t blame the dog. They don’t blame me. They made the decision to train the dog, and not fool around. They get in there and do what needs to be done. They keep their scheduled appointments. Pay in advance. Every time I show up, I can tell they have been working with the dog. They take notes. They are ready for the lesson when I arrive. The puppy turns out perfectly into a well behaved adult, and all is well. In this case, they knew it was them, not the dog, that needed help, and that leads to success.

In the other case, it is them, not the dog... they just don't want to admit it.

I see variations of this kind of thing, not just with retired couples. I see this with young folks, who neglect their puppies for the first couple of years, and then the adult dog becomes dangerously aggressive. I’ve seen young folks who got a dog, locked it in their room for 2 years, and then the dog got to the point it wasn’t safe to be around any strangers. They had time to go out with their friends, just no time for the dog. Yet, other young people, college age, don’t neglect their dogs, do socialize them, do the training, and such, and their dogs turn out perfectly. In the first case, it is them, not the dog. In the successful case, they didn’t blame the dog, or do stupid training, they got in there and did what needed to be done. They accepted it was them, not the dog.

So, if you see someone say it isn’t them, it is the dog… you know the real answer. It’s them. Not the dog.

Pets Now Recognized Part Of Family For Domestic Violence Victims

"Last week a federal judge recognized pets as part of the family for domestic violence victims, by passing the Pets and Women Safety Act as a component of the Farm Bill."

This is good news. People often won't leave their abuser if they can't take their pets. The pet is held hostage, abused or killed by the abuser as another way of punishing and controlling the victim. 

Dog Training: Separation Anxiety

Yesterday's interesting lesson was for a lab with separation anxiety. In most of these cases, the dog has other issues that are related. It is a medley of issues all revolving around fear or worry. I go after all of them, because if I only dealt with the separation anxiety, it wouldn't get resolved.

Electric Collar Training On Fearful Dog

I received a call the other day from a rescue volunteer about a fearful dog that was subjected to an electric collar. It didn't work to fix the barking. It didn't work to make the dog not react to strangers.

How can an electric collar make a dog not fearful? It can't. I will volunteer to help this dog once they find a new foster home. But the "training" will have made the situation worse.

Just don't do it again, m'kay?

Today's Lesson

Started the day training a 6 month old Standard Poodle; he arrived here last Sunday. First lesson for him. He's a super smart dog, very calm demeanor, but hasn't had any formal training. First objectives... 1.) Up/ Off... we need to get him to load into a vehicle because he is going to be too big to pick up; 2.) Walking on a Leash... he has no idea what to do when a leash is on, and so to prevent him from panicking, we have to gently get him to understand it; 3.) Kennel Up... he doesn't like his crate, and is displaying a bit of separation anxiety when the owner is gone. Need to get him to like it and be calm. 4.) Need to get him on a feeding schedule. The breeder had him free feeding, but that leads to issues regarding house training; 5.) House Training... no accidents in the home yet. Need to get him on a schedule, and to potty on command. Plus, gave the owners a shopping list of items needed for his training and care. There are other objectives and needs, which will get addressed along the way.

Every lesson is customized. This was what he needed today. I'll see him again on Sunday

Merry Christmas

Dog Returned To Rescue In Horrible Condition

"Dog returned to Denver-area rescue group with ribs showing, hair missing"

I wonder why the dog owner wasn't charged with animal neglect. We don't get enough details in this article to know. I do know that in many communities, animal crimes are swept under the rug... prosecutors won't prosecute.

Monday Humor

Javalina and Dogs

I had a visitor during one of my dog training lessons yesterday. If there is one, there are many nearby. They will attack dogs, they see them as a threat. So, we moved to another location... Note the raised hairs on his neck... he was aware of me (I was about 30 yards away).

Officer Demoted For Dropping K-9 Off At Animal Shelter.

"A Jackson (MS) police officer has been demoted after dropping his K-9 off at a local animal shelter."

I truly think this was a dishonorable and negligent thing to do. I have a great deal of respect for law enforcement. It is one of the toughest jobs out there. One of the difficulties is having to be a role model to the public for lawful, decent, moral behavior. I don't know how anyone could think that abandoning a retired service dog at an animal shelter would be considered a good thing.

As a citizen, I expect more from our police officers.

Animal shelters, at best, are still not a great place for any pet. Often, pets are killed for lack of space. Older dogs are especially vulnerable. This dog didn't deserve a potential death sentence. Even the Jackson Police Department didn't think it was right...

"“The Jackson Police Department respects and holds our canines with high regard just as we do any other officer within our department... They are family, and we do not feel they deserve anything less than a loving home in retirement.” The department has “immediately implemented protocol which requires quarterly welfare checks for all canines, both active duty and retired.”

Man Shoots Dog As He Hops Fences Running From Police

I have said this numerous times... a guard dog is now obsolete. We don't know if the dog in this yard was guarding the owner's property, but it was no defense against an armed attacker.

"When officers got to the area of Comanche and San Mateo, they say the suspect ran off into the nearby neighborhood and that the suspect began hopping fences into the backyards of multiple homes. APD says as officers were setting up a perimeter to contain the suspect, officers heard the sound of gunshots. Police say the first shots came from the suspect as he shot and killed a dog in someone's backyard."

My heart aches for the dog and its owner. So very sad

You Reap What You Sow

If you allow your children to tease and threaten your dog, your dog will eventually attack your children. You will then get what you deserve... and the victims will be the children and your dog.

How many child dog bite cases are a result of this kind of behavior? We will never know. But it is probably a lot more than we will ever find out.

Man Shoots Dog For Peeing In His Yard

Today, we see a horrific story of a dog that was shot and killed for peeing in someone's yard.

First, let's talk about using a gun to shoot a dog in a circumstance like this. Your only legal way of using a gun is to first, do it legally. As a general rule, you can only use a gun to defend your life. You can't use it to defend property, such as your lawn.

I recommend watching this legal opinion: THE GUN LAWYER: Defending your Pets with a Gun (VIDEO)

Reading the article... what do we see here?

He shot and killed a Chihuahua with a rifle. What has he been charged with? "Deputies searched Ramos' home and found AR-15 and AK-47 rifles that are banned in California. Ramos also faces charges of possession of banned assault weapons and negligent discharge of a firearm."

What should be the punishment? Love to hear your suggestions

New Puppies

It's that time of the year. I have friends getting a puppy in a week. I have numerous students getting puppies over the next few weeks.

I got a Christmas puppy once. The experience was a total joy for me... and the entire family. Plus, we all had time to get to know him.

Some say that we shouldn't promote puppy adoptions right now. However, many great dogs get overlooked at the shelters and are put down because of overcrowding. This is EXACTLY the time to consider getting a puppy! Go do it. Adopt, save a life, make a home!

Visualization For Successful Dog Ownership

In order to have the best outcome for your dog's training, I recommend setting some future goals and creating some mental imagery of what that future will look like. Without a dream, then how can that dream come true?

Three years ago, I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. These days, my health isn't the same as it used to be. I'm more tired. My feet hurt all the time. I get weird autonomic reflexes from time to time, and phantom pains. Contrast this to the way I was most of my life... I was someone who hadn't seen a doctor since I was in my mid teens. I could work all day and into the night, day after day. I felt great all the time, in shape, no injuries, great cardio, strong... you name it. This new situation has developed into a journey, a quest, to get back to what I know is my normal healthy self. I have goals of how I would like to feel, things I would like to do again, places I would like to visit, shoes I would like to wear, and a sense of inner peace about my health.

The visualization, that mental imagery, came in handy on Friday at the gym. I go to work out, but also it is ongoing physical therapy. But, I didn't feel like it that day. I was tired, a bit cranky.

I went anyway. I did every repetition, every minute, full intensity. I never let myself quit (if the instructor says 100 repetitions, I would never do 99... doing that would make me a quitter, and once you quit, it is easier to quit a second time, and a third, and so on). I'm there to get well and to stay as healthy as possible. My goals are stronger than my current situation. My doctor likes me as a patient... I do it all, he knows my goal is to be healed, not just to tolerate this mess.

Responsible dog ownership, and having a well trained dog, work the same way. I recommend first getting a vision of how you'd like your dog ownership experience to develop and turn out. Find meaningful life goals. What are your days and nights going to be like? Is your dog going to be fit and healthy? Plan on taking your dog to work? Plan on taking your dog on vacations? How about doing therapy dog work, or is this dog going to be your emotional support dog? What is this dog going to be like with strangers, friends, family, other pets, and other animals? What are the minimum standards you want in terms of obedience? I think it is very important to set these goals.

Those goals, visualizations, that imagery will cause you to not quit on your dog. It will give you that energy to see through all the training to have a well mannered, safe, controllable, obedient, and loving dog.

I have seen, and worked with, some people who put in a half baked effort training and living with their dogs. It's kind of like eating lukewarm soup, stale bread, or wilted vegetables. Not so great. It's like taking something that should have been wonderful, and then neglecting it, and then settling for less. I just don't see the point. You know, puppies start out has happy fun loving bundles of fur. Then, either the people build on that, or they wreck their dogs. Shelters are fed up with neglectful dog owners who dump their dogs because they were quitters, losers. The happy dog might instead now be a bag of ribs, maybe have some scars, have some emotional traumas, very little training... and someone has to come in and save that pup and try to patch up these emotional, training and health wounds.

Successful dog owners start with a vision of successful dog ownership. I ask new puppy owners what they envision, and the good ones already have an idea of what they want. That's why they have already hired me, are ready to write the check, and have their calendars open so we can schedule the lessons out into the coming weeks. I know pretty quickly, from the first appointment, the dogs that are going to turn out the best. It is always with these types of visionary people. They get it. They love dogs and they love their new dog.

This is also true when dealing with dogs with, sometimes severe, behavioral issues. I'm thinking right now of a couple of dog aggressive pit bulls I'm working with. The owners are motivated, we are almost to the end of the programs they signed up for, and these dogs are no longer reacting to strange dogs in public. The owners knew what they wanted, visualized the end they wanted, and it made them dig in and do all the homework. Visualization is one of the secret tools for turning around difficult dog problems. Just having a set of exercises, or enrolling in some program, isn't enough. There has to be the follow through, especially when you start out with a dog with a lot of problems.

So, your homework, today, is to set those goals, visualize the future you want for your dog. Then, if we work together, let's set a plan to get there. It might not happen tomorrow, and for severe cases, might not happen for months or even over a year, but most likely you will get there. That's what I want for you, what I visualize for you and your dog.

"See" you soon!

Christmas Dog Training

I had this thought today: How many dog owners need some quick training tips to deal with Christmas, which is only a couple of weeks away?

First, there are the Christmas puppy tips. Lots of people get puppies at this time of the year. I have friends that just informed me yesterday, that a new puppy is on the way! That was quite unexpected. And I have a new student which will begin lessons in a week, in anticipation of a new puppy which will arrive on January 3rd. Getting on the training early is a good idea. Often, new pets get a lot of personal time with their families these next couple of weeks, before everything gets back to normal after New Years. Proper training, invested now, pays off when things get busy and everyone gets back to work and school. This is especially true regarding puppy training, such as house training.

Second, we have the issue of people coming over to visit, and the potential for misbehavior, or even aggression, if the visitors do something inappropriate with the dog. There is still time to deal with these things. We can get on the jumping, running out the door, dropping things on command, house training, and so forth.

Christmas dog training is a good idea for a lot of dogs. It is a good investment, and the timing is often perfect to address many issues.

If you are interested, then obviously, call or text me to set up a time and date.

Dog Behavior Expert Witness

I recently testified in a dog bite case as a dog behaviorist expert witness. This case culminated in a 3 hour deposition and 3 hours of videotaped testimony for the jury. I don’t know yet the outcome of the case. So, here are a few thoughts regarding what it is like and why I did it.

Is It Necessary For Dog Owners To Know Behavioral Terminology?

How important is it for the average pet owner to understand the science (and controversies) regarding animal behavior? Let’s start with this excerpt from a textbook…

“Operant conditioning is an experimental science of behavior. Strictly speaking, the term operant conditioning refers to a process in which the frequency of occurrence of a bit of behavior is modified by the consequences of the behavior. Over the years, however, operant conditioning has come to refer to an entire approach to psychological science. This approach is characterized in general by a deterministic and experimental analysis of behavior. It is also characterized by a concentration on the study of operant or instrumental behavior, although not to the exclusion of the study of instinctive and reflexive behavior. As an approach to the study of behavior, operant conditioning consists of a series of assumptions about behavior and its environment; a set of definitions which can be used in the objective, scientific description of behavior and its environment; a group of techniques and procedures for the experimental study of behavior in the laboratory; and a large body of facts and principles which have been demonstrated by experiment. Operant conditioning is concerned with the relationship between the behavior of organisms and their environment.” [Introduction To Experimental Analysis Of Behavior]

Now, do you know how to get your dog to stop barking at the mailman? To not fight with the dog next door? To not drool and pace when left alone? To Come when called, off leash, and in public? Or to get the kids to not run around teasing the dog? I really don’t think so. I figure it is my job to dig through all of this theory and then show you how to train your dog and fix behavioral issues. Obedience and behavior classes shouldn’t be like a college PhD class on biology, ecology, ethology, sociology, and psychology...

Kids And Dogs, Teaching And Supervising Boundaries

Parents need to supervise and instruct their kids, and visiting kids and parents, regarding activities they can, and should not, do with the family dog. Unfortunately, most people leave all this up to chance instead of purposely teaching and enforcing appropriate boundaries. That’s why a lot of kids end up injured. Furthermore, many parents wait until it is too late, after the child has been bitten to address the dog’s behavior and obedience issues... (More)

Police: 19-year-old shoots, kills puppy during walk

Why would anyone do this kind of thing?

 You really have to wonder what kind of spiritual and psychological emptiness drives someone to shoot and kill a puppy... Concepcion De La Ros was standing on the second-floor balcony of an apartment building when police said he shot the dog, named Princess. The puppy had been walking with its owners, who didn’t realize what happened until Princess began to bleed from the mouth.

Deputy wants to adopt ‘Bud,’ the puppy he rescued in a drug bust

Cops are good guys... wants to adopt this pup... "So, it only takes 28 seconds to fall in love with an animal, and this particular deputy fell very hard for the puppy when he rescued him," Silva said.

What Should I Do Regarding Dogs and Coyotes?

I get occasional questions regarding coyotes. It isn’t unusual to have dog and coyote encounters in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Many of the urban coyotes in Phoenix are unafraid of dogs or humans, and it isn’t unusual to hear stories of coyotes killing or attempting to kill pets, including dogs and cats. They are definitely a danger to runaway or stray dogs. They will also hop over the typical block walls in suburban areas to snatch a dog, or to dig under a fence. It isn’t unusual to find coyote scat in your backyard if you have a seasonal home. I have heard that in north Scottsdale, there have been incidents where the coyotes have been bold enough to try and grab dogs that are being walked on a leash. Lastly, some coyotes act in ways that are abnormally threatening. The question becomes what to do. Unfortunately, the answers are often not what people want to hear.

Stressed people are likely to have the most ill-behaved pets

According to a new study, happy owners tend to have the happiest dogs. Scientists say the inverse is also true — with stressed owners less likely to spend time with their animal companions, causing them anxiety and stress. These pets are also likely to be the most ill-behaved because stressed owners react badly to their dogs misdeeds and do not have the time needed to train them.

FDA Links Popular Flea, Tick Medications To Neurological Problems In Dogs, Cats

Some flea and tick medications can cause adverse reactions in dogs and cats, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday. Some animals receiving drugs in the isoxazoline class, including products sold under the brand names Bravecto, Nexgard and Simparica, have experienced adverse events such as muscle tremors, ataxia and seizures, the FDA says.

Best Scottsdale AZ Dog Trainer, Dog Training, Behaviorist

I am a premier Scottsdale dog trainer and behaviorist. I am a well known and respected  dog trainer and behaviorist for the entire metropolitan area. You can see, by searching the internet, I am asked by the local TV media about dog issues. I am well known in the animal rescue world, and am the Founder of Citizens Animal Welfare Society. I am co-founder of PATCHES, a project to build and operate a privately run animal shelter to supplement what the County does. I do expert witness work for attorneys. I have a partner in another business where we offer specialized therapy dog training and support to various organizations. I don’t use harsh training methods. I’ve trained all ages and a wide variety of breeds in all parts of town. This is a central business area for me, and I’m in the vicinity of your place almost every day. Setting up lessons is as simple as letting me know what you are dealing with, and then arranging an evaluation or lessons, from puppy lessons, to obedience, to behavior modification. I can do lessons at most times of the day, and sessions will be scheduled in relation to where my other appointments are each day (because I have to plan a weekly route, and I HATE being late).

Situational Awareness Training For Pet And Therapy Dogs

I teach Situational Awareness in my Dog Obedience classes, starting with Basic Obedience all the way through Advanced Obedience. Situational awareness is being able to clearly see and perceive what is happening, or could happen, when you are with your dog. It is a risk management strategy, to prevent you, your dog, and innocent others from being harmed. No, I’m not a police officer, professional guard dog trainer, or martial artist. But, I’ve been in enough situations with dogs over the years to have developed sufficient street smarts to incorporate citizen dog handler situational awareness skills into my dog training programs.

You Can’t Outsmart Your Training

You can’t outsmart your training. In other words, in an emergency situation, you and your dog will only respond as well as the level of your training.

Man Falls 500 Feet To His Death Rescuing His Dog from Seaside Cliff

I have hiked thousands of miles, often with one of my dogs. I've had a few close calls in which my off leash dog could have died falling off a cliff or doing some other dangerous thing. Fortunately, all my dogs were well trained, and I was able to save them.

Anyone who hikes has to be prepared for this kind of emergency. But the same is true in the city. Dogs can get away from us. Unless you have trained for emergencies, however, your dog might die... and you might die. This is why I always train dogs in public locations, for the sake of the dog, but to also prepare the owners for emergencies. I'm always stressing safe practices and situational awareness.

A good Sit or Down command is essential, for example. Freezing a dog in place so you can get to them. So are directional commands at a distance, much like what is done with hunting dogs.

Unfortunately, sometimes training fails, or an owner gets past the limits of safety in trying to rescue their dog... something bad happened here, all we know so far is the following:

In this case, a tragedy occurred... "DALY CITY (KPIX) – A heartbreaking recovery unfolded at Thornton State Beach Monday after a 67-year-old man fell down a 500-foot cliff while he was trying to rescue his dog. The Golden Gate National Park ranger said the man’s dog got away from him, and when he tried to go after it he slipped to his death"

You have to assume something like this could happen to YOU AND YOUR DOG. You must have a plan, train for it, and be careful of the risks. This sad outcome could come your way, so what are you doing now to prevent it?

It's official: Pets benefit our mental health

"A new meta-analysis of 17 academic papers finds evidence that having a pet benefits people with mental health problems. The research also reviews the pet owners' testimonials, laying out the various ways that pets offer them much-needed solace."

I have trained a number of emotional support dogs. They provide necessary emotional support and allow mobility for people who would otherwise, in many cases, end up as shut in's. Now... if we can only get the public and regulators to recognize this...

Citizens Animal Welfare Society

I am the founder and CEO of Citizens Animal Welfare Society. Approximately 4 1/2 years ago, I became so concerned about the massive number of innocent and adoptable animals being killed by Maricopa Animal Care And Control, the second largest shelter system in the US, I began private meetings to develop a plan to reform animal control.

Today, we are seeking to build our own animal shelter, and to continue to pursue a public / private partnership with Maricopa County, such as was done with Austin Pets Alive! and the KC Pet Project in Kansas City.

While there have been significant improvements over the past year, as a result of community outrage at what has happened here in the Phoenix, AZ, metropolitan area, the goal of turning Maricopa into a "no kill" county will not happen without private animal rescue support.

Learn more about our efforts at our Citizens Animal Welfare Society Facebook page

MY CURRENT MENTOR

Here's a secret. Prospective students want to know some things about my background before hiring me to train their dogs. That is normal. I expect that and can give references.

Which leads me to the thought... who is my current mentor? Every good trainer has people they learned from, mentors. My best mentors for the past decade have been... YOU AND YOUR DOGS. I have learned more from you than any other source during that time. You have made me better, made me strive for higher heights, to study and work harder every year.

Is A Dog The Best Self Protection?

"The lieutenant reminded people to be careful of their surroundings while out walking dogs. He said if you have a permit, carry your gun"

I get frequent inquiries about using dogs for self defense. In this instance, the alleged attackers threatened the dog owner with a gun. There is no dog that can defend against a gun. Even the police are recommending people in his neighborhood, if they have a permit, to carry a gun. These days, dogs are PETS, not for self defense.

Learn to protect YOURSELF. Learn martial arts. Get a gun, and take several professional training courses. Carry a weapon when you are qualified. Install security alarms and cameras. Don’t advertise to criminals that you’d make a good victim. Move to a safer town, don't think you can be Charles Bronson and be a vigilante. Get a better job that pays more money and find a safer life. Stay away from dangerous places and dangerous people, winning is surviving instead of facing off a bad guy and being killed. A dog can’t do any of this for you.

Dogs Allowed At Ball Stadiums?

"Kicking back and watching sport is something best done with your mates. Now, rugby fans have the chance to take their four-legged best friends to Westpac Stadium to support the Wellington Lions as they take on Canterbury in Sunday's Mitre 10 Cup duel. Two aisles will be designated "dog friendly" in the first Bark in the Park event, which will convert a section of the Cake Tin into a Dog Bowl."

I have said there are MANY public places that should allow dogs. Here is another good example. If they can do this in New Zealand, we can do this here. The more we get our dogs out and about, the fewer dog behavior problems at home in in our neighborhoods.

Don't Abandon Your Pets During A Disaster

"Florida authorities may file felony charges against residents who abandoned their pets during Irma

What I can’t understand is why any of those degenerates would tether their pet to something with widespread flooding and 120-mph winds descending. If you’re going to abandon your dog or cat to its fate, let it roam free so that it has a fighting chance to find a safe place to hide. Leaving it out in the elements to wonder where its family went as it’s sheared to pieces by the wind and rain is the cruelest thing you could do."

Yep, there really is no excuse for this kind of thing. People have choices, pets don't.

4-Year-Old Girl Attacked by Dog at Restaurant

"A woman sitting near the family asked if their two daughters would like to pet her dog. The owner walked off, leaving the dog with the girls.The dog then bit four-year-old Lacey Burke on the face. “My daughter was on her knees, petting the dog’s head like the owner had showed, and the dog went at her face”

My personal opinion is that your dog doesn't need to be petted by the kids of strangers. Yes, there is a place for socializing puppies, but after that, it is just a risk that isn't worth taking. Tell your kid to leave the dog alone, and tell strangers that you'd rather not have their kid pet your dog.

Some Theories: My suspicion of what happened... it was a restaurant. Possibly the dog was guarding a piece of food on the ground. Another theory, the dog is in a strange place, and the kid got in the dog's face or touched the dog in a way the dog was uncomfortable with. Not all dogs are as comfortable outside the home as they are at home. You have to supervise all interactions between unknown kids and dogs to monitor the body language and interactions.

Can You Shoot A Dog?

"He said the park does require dogs to be leashed. The gunman's dog was not on a leash, while the pit bulls were both on leashes."

"The gunman had been playing in the park with his own dog, which was off-leash, when the owner of the two pit bulls walked by, said Logan Police Capt. Tyson Budge. It was unclear how the fight between the dogs began, Budge said, but the man tried to stop the attack by pulling out a gun and firing a pair of warning shots into the ground, hoping to scare the pit bulls away. Undeterred by the gunfire, the pit bulls apparently continued to attack and the man then shot one of the pit bulls, the captain said."

As a general rule, if your dog is off leash, and the other dog is on leash, if a fight happens, it is going to be your dog's fault. However, we don't know enough about this story to know what the prosecutor is going to do.

Animal Cruelty Investigation: 50 pets tethered to trees in Florida as Irma approaches

Hurricane is coming... “Even a tiny bit of sand can hurt an animal when it’s traveling through 100-plus mph winds,” Sauve said.

These animals were tied out and abandoned, according to the article... Imagine 100 mph winds, plus 10 feet of flooding.

If what is alleged is true, I'm guessing someone is going to jail...

If You Are In The Dog World, You Should Do Rescue

New Stuff

It's been a couple of years since I blogged. It was time to get some new perspective on the dog world, so I could come back with fresh content. It is about growing.

Blogging is difficult work, to do it year after year. Since we last talked a lot has happened!

2013: I founded Citizens Animal Welfare Society (see and "Like" our Facebook page). The idea was to turn Maricopa into a no kill county.
2015: Citizens Animal Welfare Society bid to privatize MCACC, to turn it into an open admission, no kill shelter. See our CAWS Facebook page.
2016: CAWS held its first public meeting in Tempe, AZ
2016: Our bid for takeover was not accepted, however, we did not give up. After meeting with County officials, we were invited to do demonstration projects for the County to show the way towards a new shelter system. CAWS is now a well respected member of the local animal rescue community. Sam Basso is CEO of CAWS, and has an entire team of professionals working to turn Maricopa into a no kill community. You can search the local media to see some of the things we have been involved with. This is still a very active project.
2017: CAWS continues to be an animal rescue leader in the Phoenix metropolitan area. We have numerous projects and initiatives running. Watch our Facebook page for the latest updates.

I have learned a considerable amount about animal rescue, from the bottom to the top. I'll be posting more of this topic.

It is good to be back

Sam

Recommended Gifts Gadget Toys For Dogs

There are a LOT of ways to make dog ownership easier. Oftentimes I find students using the wrong equipment, or not having any proper equipment or toys. Here is a list of products I recommend for dog owners.

Steroids And Treadmills For Pit Fighting Dogs

Pit dog fighting is a crime. It is cruel, and serves no good purpose. All you need to see is a picture of a dog, that has been chopped up all over its face from fighting another dog to understand it. Or the pictures of the dogs that were further tortured and killed because they didn't win. People who fight dogs should serve harsh and long prison terms, and be fined so much that they are totally broke. They should lose custody of their kids, lose their jobs, and end up living under a bridge for the rest of their lives. And maybe they should get what rapists get from the other prisoners they meet in prison. Yes, I feel that strongly against pit fighting.

"The Keep:" Here is the story of a man who has been arrested for pumping up his dogs with steroids, and forcing them to exercise on treadmills, in order to prepare them to fight. 

This isn't unusual. This same kind of thing was uncovered in Phoenix, AZ by Maricopa County police just yesterday: "They also found steroids and chains hanging from trees, reportedly used to train those animals." 

Labrador Retriever Is The Most Popular Breed In The US

I am a big fan of Labrador Retrievers. I've trained many of them, and you can't get a finer family dog. Social, highly trainable, fun, short coat, moderate exercise demands, and a great reputation (which helps when renting an apartment). They also alert you to strangers at the door, so they make a good watchdog, as well.

Here are the current rankings of most popular breeds in the US

Lost Police Dog Is Found

I have advised a number of dog rescue volunteers to assist them in finding and capturing strays. So, I understand some part of what this lost and found police dog went through. Thankfully, the dog was found and captured.

"Wilmington Police: After missing for nearly 2 months, K-9 Karson found safe"

Using Dogs To Find Agriculture Insect Pests

"The California Department of Food and Agriculture has 13 dog teams checking for illegally shipped agricultural material" such as illegal fruits and vegetables, insect pests, illegal and endangered animals and plants, snakes, and the location of endangered species.

This is a fantastic use of dogs for good purposes.

Why Do Pit Bulls Attack?

Here is my interview on Channel 12, Phoenix AZ, on why pit bulls attack

Dr Sophia Yin's Death

I am sorry to post that Dr. Sophia Yin has passed away. I have followed her work for quite a while and was a quiet fan. Her work was excellent.

Her family has asked for some privacy, which is understandable. Like myself, a lot of people must be asking, "What happened?" Well, we'll find out over time. It really doesn't matter. She helped a lot of people, and did a lot of great work for animals, and she will be remembered fondly by those who followed her.

Save Mickey

If you haven't been following the story of Mickey the pit bull, you should. Bottom line: supervise kids and dogs. Now a kid has had his face mauled terribly, and a dog may be killed for being a dog. In my opinion, both the child and the dog are the victims here.

How To Break Up A Dog Fight

Here is my general game plan for breaking up a dog fight.

2 Pit Bull Attacks

Yesterday, there were 2 dog attacks in the news, one in Gilbert, AZ and the other in Queens, NY. Both stories shared the some elements. First, they both involved "pit bulls". Now, when any of us hear that term, we all should know that could mean just about any kind of mixed bred, or even pure bred, dog. There are 2 types of pit bulls, the pure bred American Pit Bull terrier, or a type of bull breed that could be mixed or pure bred. The media is notorious for mislabeling dogs in the news, but until we hear differently, these were some kind of bull dog. Second, they involved a dog fight. Dogs fight for various reasons, too complicated to list all of them here. A dog fight is a scary thing. Third, someone got in the middle of the fights. In the Gilbert case, a babysitter was injured and a 2 year old child was killed. In the Queens case, a woman was injured. Both women were friends of the other people involved.

There is no safe way to break up a dog fight. I tell that to everyone who asks. One of the first rules, however, is to remove all minor children from the area. I always practice people safety first, then dog safety.

I've been criticized by a friend for posting these articles, saying a dog trainer shouldn't be hurting the pit bulls by linking these articles on Facebook. There is a saying: Don't shoot the messenger. a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of lashing out at the (blameless) bearer of bad news. The advice "Don't shoot the messenger" was expressed (very obliquely) by Shakespeare in Henry IV, part 2 (1598)[1] and in Antony and Cleopatra: when told Antony has married another, Cleopatra threatens to treat the messenger's eyes as balls, eliciting the response 'gracious madam, I that do bring the news made not the match'.[2] Prior to that, a related sentiment was expressed in Antigone by Sophocles as "No one loves the messenger who brings bad news".[3] 

On a daily basis, I look for dog news. I stay informed, because animal welfare is my passion. Most of my friends here are also animal advocates, and we all share good and bad dog stories here. We like to be informed.

I have been a responsible dog ownership advocate for 16 years. Most dog attacks could have been prevented. People come to me to ask about aggression prevention, and I stay well informed. Today, the Gilbert story will be national news. Not because of me, but because of the magnitude of the tragedy. If we, as animal advocates, bury our heads in the sand, hoping it will all go away, we'll see breed specific legislation proposed for Arizona. My position is to face the tragedies and see what we can learn from them, and then also to be able to expertly defend why it isn't fundamentally about the breed but how we manage our dogs. In the Gilbert case, going off the news reports and assuming they are accurate, we can summarize the following: a.) the more dogs you have in a home, the greater the chance for a dog fight; b.) we need to be better informed regarding the risks of owning a dog, and the methods for having a dog safely; c.) children must be properly supervised around dogs, and if a dog fight breaks out, the children should be removed first before anything else is done; d.) the more non family humans in a home with multiple dogs increases the stress among any dog pack, and we should exercise heightened awareness in those circumstances; e.) pit bulls are used, and have been used, and selectively bred, to fight other dogs. Knowing this, we need to understand how to properly manage them when living with other pit bulls, otherwise, get some other breed. f.) parents should be more aware of what kind of situation they are putting their kids in. I've read too many stories of kids being attacked by dogs at a friend's house. There were 4 dogs and, I believe, 4 small kids at that home. That is a lot of supervision for just one adult. I worked with 3 year olds back in the 1990's, and just one 3 year old is a handful. 4 small kids is a zoo.

We can't control the media, but we can speak up. But, we can't speak up if we don't know about what is happening, or if we don't know enough about animal behavior and the tendencies for public outrage when a kid is harmed. In Seattle, a child mauling resulted in a horrible new city and statewide dog bite law. We either stay informed and involved, or we'll lose the right to own a dog at all.

Cops Shooting Innocent Dogs

"The 130-pound, 3-year-old Rottweiler named Max was shot to death after he escaped through a window in a parked car and ran over to his master, Leon Rosby, who was being arrested for filming the scene on his phone"

There have been numerous cases of innocent dogs being shot to death by dogs in the news. Way too many.

In most cases, the cops have gotten away with it. In a few, the cops have been sued and had to pay out money.

This has to stop. We all know it is wrong, and they do, too.

This is a country of laws, and at some point, the laws are going to catch up with the police and put them in jail. It's time for dog lovers, and good hearted people, to advocate for laws to severely punish trigger happy police officers and the cities that employ them who are not doing their jobs, but abusing the public trust.

My recommendation: Unlawful shooting of a dog by a police officer: 1 year in prison plus a $100,000 fine. Minimum. Aggravated shooting of a dog: 10 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Further, if you look at this article, the man was arrested for filming the police in public. This is already being addressed in the courts, and the police have been found guilty. We have a 1st Amendment, and it's about time to enforce it. This would be the aggravating factor here in putting every one of these crappy police officers in prison for a very long time. Let them explain themselves to the other prisoners.

The being trained on how to arrest for filming them and getting away with it. they are being instructed to simply say the filming innocent citizen was in the way. You know and I know that won't hold up in front of a jury. Demand a jury trial if this happens to you, and then sue them back into the Stone Age.

First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances

Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Fifth Amendment: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation

Sixth Amendment: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence.

Eighth Amendment: Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted

Pit Bull Service Dog For PTSD

"Daja Lacey, who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, will be united with a therapy dog named Tank — a rescued pit bull that has been specially-trained to help Lacey battle the condition. The match was made by possible by Paws of War, a program started by the Long Island-based organization Guardians of Rescue to help military veterans in need. “PTSD is a real disorder that affects thousands of veterans, both active and inactive, across the country,” Lacey said in a statement. “We are very thankful to Guardians of Rescue for rescuing Tank and many others, and now Tank will help to rescue me.”

Next time someone says that pitbulls need to be eliminated, show them this story. It's all in how you raise them. They are working dogs. Socialize them, professionally train them, and then give them a job. That's what they are good for... whatever you make them to be.

Here's Exhibit A: a pit bull therapy dog for PTSD.

Dog Scares Off Birds To Protect Airplanes

"Sky the dog just one part of airport's efforts to combat bird strikes... Southwest Florida International Airport uses dogs as part of strategy to keep wildlife from aircraft"

Dogs continue to play a vital role in the lives of humans. There is almost no end to the number of creative things dogs can do... bed bug detection, seizure alert, therapy, guide, hearing ear, hunting, drug detection, bomb detection, oil pipeline rupture alert, and so forth.

And your dog can earn you money for doing all that fun stuff...

Iran Arresting Dogs And Putting Them In Jail

"Iranian authorities are confiscating pet dogs and placing them in a dog jail, according to media reports. The Middle East news site Al-Monitor reports that thirty dogs have died of starvation or thirst in one Iranian “dog jail” outside Tehran. Iranian authorities this spring warned dog owners not to walk their dogs in public or take them in their cars lest they risk arrest of their canine pets."

I don't expect much in the way of progress or humanity from some countries. Iran is one of those places.

You'd think the conscience of good people would be a greater force than evil, but in history, evil has been the norm, not the exception.

There's no excuse for this kind of barbarity.

Dogs With Cancer - Pain Evaluation And Euthanasia

"She pointed out that chemotherapy for dogs, unlike humans is usually palliative rather than curative. In this study, two-thirds of the dogs survived. But all of the owners, she said, reported their dogs had a better quality of life after six weeks of treatment for pain."

Dogs with cancer are often in pain. Chemotheraphy for dogs tends to reduce pain (which is what "palliative" means), but it doesn't usually cure the cancer.

Pain management is an important consideration when deciding whether to euthanize a dog. I have addressed this in my article, "Euthanasia Criteria". It all comes down to the dog's quality of life.

I also think it is important for veterinarians to be absolutely clear about the dog's chances of survival and the possible and probable outcomes. The death of a dog is extremely traumatizing for a dog owner, and they need to know that they are doing the right thing. They can only do that with honest advice.

Siberian Husky Rescue

“Huskies and sled dogs are being abandoned at an alarming rate and going into pounds across the UK. As a breed, sled dogs are massively increasing in population because they have become so popular. Unfortunately, people may not always research the breed before getting one or their circumstances might change leading to the dog being abandoned. Huskies and sled dogs are highly intelligent and need a lot of mental stimulation. They also have higher exercise needs than other dogs. Historically, they were bred to pull fast and light sleighs across the Arctic tundra. They are very energetic and lively animals and are incredibly attractive. Some people are getting them as puppies when they are small bundles of fluff but when they mature into a large bundle of hyperactivity, they are finding it hard to cope.”

I'm surprised how many people get a dog without doing any of the necessary research beforehand. Every breed is different, was created for different purposes, and therefore will have certain enhanced characteristics.

Each breed also has specialized care and training needs. You know, most dogs are never trained professionally. Our shelters and rescue operations are full of untrained and abused dogs. You can't learn dog training watching a TV show. It isn't like raising kids. It isn't like what you see in a cartoon. When I got my first dog, I didn't have a clue... so a paid for lessons. I attended them diligently. That's what you've got to do.

Mixed bred dogs are mixes of pure bred dogs... so they come with the traits of all the genetics of their parents. These dogs deserve the same care, investment, time and training that all other dogs require. But, owners of mixed bred dogs do even less for their dogs than those with pure bred dogs.

Bottom line is: don't get a dog if you are a lazy, ignorant cheapskate. Dogs deserve better than that.

Employers Offering Pet Health Insurance

"If your pet is injured its trip to the vet could end up costing you some serious money. But now some companies are offering pet insurance as an employee benefit. Home Depot, T-Mobile, and Chipotle are all offering this rare benefit to workers who would otherwise be faced with staggering veterinary bills."

Wow. Just wow!

These companies get it. A small cost to them, but a huge incentive to work at these companies.

With so many people owning dogs these days, it only makes sense that if you are looking to work someplace for long hours, and especially if your significant other... or no other... isn't around to watch the dogs... then you're going to feel obligated to protect your dogs.

These companies are clearly acting on internal data showing that quality employees are more likely to be people that will sacrifice for their dogs. Dog owners are a special group, and they show the typical characteristics of the kinds of people that any good employer would want on their team.

When Innocent Dogs Attack

"The witness who saw the attack and called 911 told officers the dog’s owner “would hold the dogs and wait for someone to go by and would release them” in order to attack people in the area of Freeman Drive and Nowhere Road"

If this story is accurate, then in my opinion, dogs that attack people in these circumstances are innocent, should be taken away from their owner, and given to a good home. (I've seen people do this with their dogs, to get their dogs to attack other dogs or cats, too).

Bad people can force innocent dogs to attack people. The dogs are doing what they "think" is the right thing to do, to protect their owner or handler. This is not an indication of a vicious dog, but of a vicious owner or handler.

In these cases, if convicted, I think the person who sent the dogs after innocent people should go to prison.

Abandoning Dogs To Let Them Suffer And Die

"Mixed with the trash dumped illegally, they have continued to find dogs; some are left clinging to life and others are dead. “This half-mile area has just become a killing field for dogs,” Hudson said"

In every major city, there's a place where people abandon dogs to let them suffer and die. It should be a crime, punishable by prison time.

Sometimes, these are the losing dogs from underground dog fighting rings. Other times, they are just dogs that people abandon, for a variety of reasons, ranging from poverty to cruelty.

This is where the police should intervene, investigate, arrest and seek prosecution. Criminals who victimize dogs typically don't just commit one type of crime, they are involved in other crimes, as well.

Get them. Prosecute them. Then put them away for a very long time.

Animal Abuse In Animal Shelters

"In a disturbing video, however, an animal shelter in Memphis was exposed for actually inflicting the very things that we have come to believe shelters are protecting animals from. Some of the allegations and photos show dogs being muzzled for eight hours without food and water and one dog with an embedded collar left untreated for days. These are examples of workers violating city policies, and it's happening elsewhere. Abuse at animal shelters, is something on the rise."

We tend to think that animal abuse only happens by some weirdo at their home. What we don't expect is that the dogs that are being rescued and housed by animal control, a government agency, are being abused.

I have heard countless stories of animal abuse at animal control. I've been in shelters where the dogs are starving, covered in flies, injured... and the government workers just walk on by. And good luck exposing the crimes and getting the abusers fired, fined and imprisoned. The average citizen can't do this... it is up to the police to do something about it... only the police have the power... but will they do it? Will they investigate other government workers?

Imagine a traumatized dog being brought into a government shelter, only to be tortured to death. Yes, it is happening.

All shelters should have full time web cams on all their operations. Full time security cameras in all areas, and requirements to keep the recordings. Even the area where the dogs are euthanized should be open to the public to view what's going on. And accurate statistics need to be kept of the condition of all the dogs.

If we treated zoo animals or farm animals the way we do dogs and cats in shelters we'd be appalled. The time for change... and criminal convictions... is now.

Pet Flipping Is Theft

"For pet owners, the thought of someone else claiming their dog and selling it is devastating. It is a scam called "pet-flipping," and it is on the rise"

Dog theft has always been around. Old stories of dogknapping have been published since before I was a kid.

But, there seems to have been a marked increase in the past few years, and now that is being confirmed in more news stories.

Moral of the story: protect your dog by...

1.) Having your dog microchipped;
2.) Installing burglar alarms and, yes, cameras;
3.) Don't leave your dog unsupervised... in your yard, car, or tied outside a store;
4.) Have a "lost dog" file on your computer so you can put out notices immediately if your dog is taken.

And for those looking to buy a dog, don't be a dummy....

Take any dog you're interested in to the vet to be scanned for a microchip before you hand over your money. Get the name, address and phone of the person selling the dog. In fact, a better way to get a dog is to work with a reputable dog rescue organization.

We can't stop this, but we don't have to be dumb, either.

Pit Bulls Attack Kid?

"Riley, 48, entered the house where the boy was being attacked and, armed with a wooden plank, walked into the rear dining room. He found two pit bulls, each weighing more than 150 pounds, biting the boy... Langford said the boy apparently wandered in on the dogs, one of which may have been agitated after having recently given birth"

OK, first, let's always remember that the media does a horrible job of reporting the facts of any dog bite story. I never trust what they say. So, when I comment on such a story, they are only my opinions, always written as if what is being reported is the whole truth... and we know it isn't. We know stories are often changed, manipulated, and such by the reporter and the editor. I know this from personal experience, being interviewed and then reading back the published story, with words and concepts attributed to me that I never said. Further, obvious flaws in logic are not even worked out, such as with this story. So, let's assume the story is truthful and go from there...

The reporter says that the two "pit bulls" were each more than 150 lbs. I have never met a pit bull that was over 150 lbs. So, what kind of dog are we talking about here? Pit bulls get slammed in the media all the time, blamed for attacks, and leaving the impression with the public that they are at fault for all these horrific injuries we see in the media. An American Staffordshire Terrier, the purebred version of the pit bull, is between 35 to 80 lbs in size. The same is also typically true of the "pit bull", which is a mixed bred dog that is part bull breed and part something else.

Second, we see that the child was apparently unsupervised by the parents or his relatives. Why isn't that the headline of the story? I tell people all the time that kids under 10 years of age should not be left unsupervised with dogs, regardless of the breed or mix.

Third, it is NORMAL dog behavior for a female dog to guard her puppies. You will see this in almost every dog, from Chihuahua to Great Dane. If you are going to breed a dog, then this comes with the process. Knowing this, you keep kids and strangers away from the mother and her puppies. We know that if you get near a momma bear with cubs, she's going to attack. It happens with cattle. It happens with lions. It happens with chimpanzees. If a 3 year old child wandered into a barn with a female pig and her piglets, the momma pig would attack him. Would you blame the pig? So, the attack is NOT an indication of abnormal behavior, not an indication of the dogs being vicious.

Fourth, why were these dogs being bred? Who breeds a "150 lb" pit bull? You breed dogs to make money, usually. So, if it is a business, then treat it as a business.

This is a tragic accident. But, from what I see here, I blame the parents and relatives, not the dogs. Some day I hope the parents and relatives explain to this kid why they didn't care enough to protect him or their dogs from this tragedy.

Hoarders And Animal Cruelty

"When officers got there, they found a home in deplorable conditions with trash piled two- to three-feet high in some areas. Inside, they also found several dead dogs"

This story looks to me like a case of a hoarder. Hoarding is a serious mental health issue that affects not only the hoarder, but everyone and every animal involved. The home becomes a health and fire hazard, and anyone or any animal that lives there is at risk of disease, injury or death.

I'm all for the Constitutional protections of private property, and that your home is your castle. I get that. But, there comes a point where what another person does on their property affects others. For example, you can't torture someone on your property. You can't build a nuclear bomb and detonate it on your property. And you can't criminally neglect animals on your property.

Hopefully the one surviving dog can find a new, healthy home. And this person, if found to be guilty, gets the appropriate mental health assistance, including a trustee, and some bright lines by the court as to future conduct.

What Should Be Done With Wolf Hybrids?

"A gentle, big dog at the Sacramento city animal shelter that experts say has a bit of wolf in him may be sent to a sanctuary in Southern California. "We had him evaluated by a wolf organization called Never Cry Wolf," said Gina Knepp, shelter manager. "He is on the low spectrum, less than 25 percent wolf. So he does have wolf in him, according to the experts. How much? We don't know without DNA testing."

This is a dog. It's not a wolf, and it isn't behaving like a wolf. It is silly and inhumane to take a wolf hybrid like this and send it off to a sanctuary. It's abuse. Give the dog to a good home and be done with it.

This is all the result of silly dog laws and eco/ enviro- nuts influencing such laws. What in the heck do you think a dog is? It is a domesticated wolf. Take a wolf, and put enough dog in it, and it is a dog.

My Thoughts Regarding: ‘I’ve never seen a dog do that much damage’: Neighbor shares harrowing details of dog attack on Bibb County woman

"The black dog scaled an 8 to 10 feet fence with ease and started charging at the deputy... “I was in great fear for my life, at which time I shot at the dog,” Mock said in his report. The dog ran off back into the trailer park, leaving bloody paw prints on the road and a driveway. Fearing others were in jeopardy, Mock drove his patrol car around to near Lot-13, where the dogs stayed in a small pen that backs up to McNicholas’ property. On Thursday, boards were stacked on top and along the bottom edges of the fence and appeared to block prior escape routes."

Here are my thoughts...

Dogs are animals. They do what dogs do, do what animals do. They guard territory. You can't breed that out of a dog. All dogs guard territory because their wild ancestors, the wolf, guard territory. It is part of being a dog. Can a dog read a law book? Read a sign? Can a dog know right from wrong like a human? No. So, the responsibility is ours and ours alone to prevent these kinds of things. And in fact, in many cases like this, if you were properly introduced to the attacking dogs, the dogs would most likely be friendly and totally safe. It all depends upon how you house, socialize, contain, supervise, and train your dogs of any breed or type.

Speaking of types of dogs, pit bulls are a type of dog, not a breed. They are often a mix of many dog breeds, and therefore vary a great deal in their general behavioral patterns. Let's put it another way... If a person is half Italian and half English, and the person beats their wife... is it the Italian part of them or the English part of them that is at fault? Or do only half Italian, half English men beat their wives? You could have this kind of attack with lots of dog breeds, if they were set up to escape in groups. People who want to ban pit bulls are saying, whether they know it or not, they want to ban mixed breed dogs. There are lots of breeds that I could mix to create a guard dog that would bite people, never using any type of bull breed at all in the mix, which if they escaped would do this same exact thing. It wouldn't be that hard to cross a Chihuahua with some giant breed and create a dog that would do this same exact kind of damage. If I could ban some people from ever owning a dog, I would. I see abused dogs all the time, for example, from my rescue friends, of all breeds. I wish there was a way to keep dogs out of the hands of some people. There's just no fair and legal way of doing that which also is congruent with the principles of living in a free society according to the Constitution. So, it comes down to personal responsibility, and laws that enforce personal responsibility, and laws that spell out exactly when a dog is or is not allowed to bite. Otherwise, we'll end up banning dog ownership altogether, or it will only be for the rich and famous, the well connected, the police, military and influential politicians.

I have said over and over again, that what people don't value, they don't take care of as much. When people get a dog for free, or for a couple hundred bucks, they tend to not take as much care to train the dogs as if they spent $2,000 for the dog. Lots of pit bulls fall into this category. There are always more pure bred dogs in dog training classes than mixed bred dogs. And there are relatively few people who live in low income areas that train their dogs at all. In some low income communities, the dogs are allowed to run the streets in packs. In this article, does the fencing used sound like a well made, well kept fence or a piece of junk? It sounds like a piece of junk to me. And I don't see anywhere in the article that the owner was anywhere to be found when it happened. I see lots of dogs become way too territorial when left in a yard with nothing to do and with the owners away or not supervising.

Lastly, what should happen here?

As I've said for years: "when a dog bites, then the owner and dog should be judged by the severity of the situation and punished accordingly".

If all I have to go on are my hunches, and what this article says, it would be my opinion this will be found by a court to be an unprovoked attack. If the dogs were alive, then I would have recommended that they be evaluated by professional dog behaviorists. If the dogs were vicious then put to death, otherwise given to a new owner. It is very possible, in cases like this, that in different hands, these dogs would never have escaped, and would have never harmed anyone or any animal. Regarding the owners, I think that they should be made to go through the legal processes, and laws should be written and enforced to hold dog owners responsible for the actions of their dogs if an attack is unprovoked, according to the severity of the attack. Should a court of law determine, after a fair trial, hearing all the facts, and given expert testimony from those who understand dog behavior, that the owner is at fault, then the appropriate penalties should apply for the level of injury that person's dogs inflict. I'm guessing that might mean prison time and serious financial consequences in cases like this. In most cases, we don't need new laws, we just need the ones we have to be enforced. On the other hand, we need clear definitions of when it is OK for a dog to bite, so there is a clear bright line to tell everyone what is allowed and what isn't allowed.

For the victims of cases like this... they often don't get any money, unless the owner has renter's or homeowner's insurance. Yes, that can amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars, but that doesn't really seem to cover the injuries that these people receive. No amount of words can make this kind of thing right, either.

Update: One thing that has to be considered in these cases is that the reports we get in the news aren't always accurate. The owner of the dogs has been charged with "two counts of failure to restrain the dogs and two counts of failure to inoculate the dogs... The Bibb County District Attorney conferred with investigators last week and decided not to file criminal charges. Deputies consulted with the Bibb Solicitor’s Office to determine which misdemeanor charges would be appropriate"

Failure to restrain and failure to inoculate are kind of BS charges as far as I'm concerned... sometimes prosecutors feel the need to charge people just so it looks like they are doing something... and they have to also deal with the fact that if they bring a bogus case to court that it blows their credibility and can get them sued, as well. I can think of several alternate scenarios that might have happened here which might have led up to this case, and the police and prosecutors probably know that, was well. So, clearly, there's more to the story than originally reported. More than once has a person been accused, tried and "convicted" by the media, while the real story comes out later, new facts emerge, and then your opinion changes 180 degrees. I wish that reporters would hold back a bit, do more investigation, before publishing their stories. So, I now have no idea what really happened, and I don't think the public now knows, either. Certainly, those people who are condemning the owner of the dogs in the comments section of these articles don't know, either. Let's see how this gets settled. I feel bad for everyone involved.

Safety Tip: Using A Leash For Your Dogs

"Martin says when they arrived at a family member's home, the owner's dogs, although friendly, came running toward Abbey, frightening her and causing her to run into nearby woods"

I presume this case is an off leash situation, based upon the way this article is written. And if I'm right, then it's another case, out of millions, where dogs run away when the owners take them off leash in situations where the dogs aren't capable of being managed off leash.

I see this kind of thing all the time. I saw it this morning while hiking. A couple took their Golden Retriever off leash as they walked down the trail towards the parking lot.... about 3/4 of a mile away. Yes, the dog stayed relatively close, but clearly the dog didn't obey their verbal commands to come back when it was getting too far ahead. These people took way too big of a risk with their dog.

I saw another case a few days ago with one of my students. The husband let the dog off leash in the garage simultaneously when the wife came home in her car and opened the other garage door with her garage door opener. The dog started running down the driveway, and the husband didn't even see what was happening. Fortunately, I was there, just arriving for a lesson, called her to me, she came, and all was well. I've told them repeatedly not to let the dog loose until it is inside their fenced yard, because they've been lax in their supervision a number of times, including leaving side doors to the home ajar, and therefore their dog has gotten loose, and learned how fun it is to get loose, from the property.

I generally do not take dogs off leash in public places, and only certain dogs that I know very well, and know that they will obey in the circumstances I'm putting them in. Hunters, for example, let dogs off leash in the wilderness to hunt for animals. But, they don't do that with untrained dogs. Police will let dogs off leash to search for and capture criminals, but again, those are very well trained dogs.

Most people don't have well trained dogs. Shelters are full of untrained dogs, or dogs that have been abusively handled by people who did their own, stupid, do-it-yourself dog training. So, the dogs get loose, cause mayhem, or get injured or hopelessly lost.

Keep your dogs on leash. I know your dog isn't well trained. Don't be stupid. Don't put your dog at risk. This story had a happy ending. A lot don't.