Neighborhood Teams Using Dogs To Save Hurricane Helene Victims

Harville organized hundreds of volunteers who used drones, thermal cameras, binoculars and hunting dogs to scour the muddy banks, fending off copperhead snakes, trudging through knee-high muck and fighting through tangled branches.

Dogs are relevant and needed for search and rescue. However, this kind of work isn’t without risks. This linked article says a man and his dog drowned trying to save a victim of Hurricane Helene. Tragic. Just horrible. 

 

I think every community should have citizen-based rescue groups that are available in case of a disaster. Helene has proven the folly of waiting for government to come and help. 

 

What I get out of these things: You are your own first responder. And your neighbors should organize to help. They do it for moral reasons. Don't wait for government services and don't assume they will treat you well... in this instance, the response is deplorable.

 

Form a block watch program for your neighborhood. And include exercises and resources to deploy in case of a disaster.

A Dog Training Mess

Occasionally, a carefully planned dog training lesson… will turn out to be a mess. That is because every dog has a vote in terms of how things are going to go. Thus, in the middle portion of one of my lessons this morning, what I was trying to do went sideways.

Have you experienced this before? I have. Many times. I enjoy a puzzle like this, and I enjoy seeing a dog make progress. I never stick to one approach if that approach isn't working for a dog.

Ex-NY Gov. David Paterson Attacked When Walking Dog

 Ex-NY Gov. David Paterson, stepson attacked by gang of young suspects while walking dog on UES

Do you have a plan in case someone tries to attack you while walking your dog? What would you do in such a case since you can't assume anyone will come to your aid? 

Just because you have a dog with you on a walk or jog doesn't mean someone won't try to go after you. If this person doesn't care about your dog, and if your dog is incapable of helping you in a fight, then what is your plan? And what if, like the Ex-Gov, you are disabled? 

Better to think ahead than regretting afterwards that you didn't even consider the risks. Furthermore, is it time to move away from where you live? Or to take a different route? Many places in the US have become dangerous because of... well, you know the reasons. You can't fight the world, sometimes it is better to move away.

Man Saves Girl But Is Attacked By Dog

Man hospitalized after stopping dog attack at a Willard school bus stop

There is no safe and painless way to stop all dog attacks. This man is a hero, but heroes sometimes pay a heavy price for their courage. If you saw a dog attack, are you always prepared to jump in and save someone's life? 

Dog Saves Owner's Life

A dog saved her owner – who hurt his leg at home in rural Washington state, fell and couldn’t get up for hours – by walking to a road, sitting in the middle of it until a local sheriff’s deputy stopped, and leading the officer to him, according to authorities.

Some might ask, "why have a dog?" Well, here's a good reason. We have seen many accounts like these in the news. 

Helene: Friendly Tennessee Pit Bull Trapped In Tree

 Tennessee dog trapped in tree rescued 3 days after Helene floods

Well, here is a bright spot. This dog was rescued by firefighters, trapped 20 feet above the ground in a tree. The dog was microchipped (always a good idea) and will be reunited with her owners. 

Look at that dog... what a sweet face!!

Police Seize And Kill Innocent Dog In UK

'However, unfortunately, due to an administration error the dog was subsequently euthanized before the court hearing.'

What is with the lack of civil rights in some areas and countries? Why are some authorities so full of themselves that they are willing to steamroll over citizens? This case is an abomination. Are they sorry only because they got caught?

Whatever happened to GREAT Britain? To me, it looks like a nation of men without chests, a nation that has lost their core values. What happened here violated the respect of the right to due process of the law. Apologies won’t bring this dog back to life. Authorities in many nations will take it out on dogs to stomp on human rights to appease the squeaky wheels. I think they bully the public into silence. Where is their Gandhi? Where is their Churchill?

I don't believe claims that this won't happen again. 

Dogs Don't Like Being Hugged

 "... dogs are stressed when humans hug them"

I mentioned this to a student, she got offended, and then proclaimed that her dog must not love her. Oh boy...

Here's the deal, dogs don't hug one another. To dogs, I believe hugging signals they are possibly being captured by a predator. To them, it isn't natural. To humans, it is natural. But we are different species and interpret touch differently.

So... your dog loves you and you love your dog. That doesn't mean your dog interprets hugging as something pleasant. This might also explain why some dogs don't like seeing people in their family being hugged. I don't think it is always jealousy or attention seeking. I think some dogs interpret it as threatening. Something to think about. 

Sydney Sweeney and Her Dog Tank

"She sleeps like a human: in bed, with her body underneath the blankets, and then her head on the pillow. I spoon her on my right side."

I think it is great that celebrities have pets. I think it gives them a sense of reality in a world of unreality. Sydney Sweeney adopted a rescue dog and it appears this dog is having the time of its life, and Sydney Sweeney is enjoying it all. This is a pretty cool article and worth the read. If you like dogs, then I probably am going to like you... and I'm now a fan!

Dogs And Hurricane Helene

Helene is the deadliest hurricane since Katrina. But with the economy in the dumps because of widespread government mismanagement and inflation there will be no demand for the rescued pets. 

I wonder if there are any large-scale organized rescue efforts for pets in the affected areas. If you look, what’s going on with the total and complete screwup regarding humans, it’s got to be even worse for animals

Forget about transport to other shelters around the country… who is going to take in these dogs, examine them, vaccinate and treat them, feed them, temporarily house them, and find them homes, when most large municipal shelters are already mismanaged as pet warehouses and packed full?

Now you’re going to have a bunch of stray dogs and cats that have no owners, no one to rescue them and nobody to feed them. We can borrow and spend trillions of dollars on wasted programs, but then when it really is needed, they don't have and can’t get the resources to the people, and there will be no help for pets. Furthermore, I don’t think Congress goes back to work until after the first of the year, so I don’t even know how they do appropriations for this kind of an emergency when they ran the bank account dry. 

We’re going to be hearing about requests for help from rescues around the country for these people and these animals, but with shelters and rescues packed to the gills, I don’t think any help is coming.

Be Careful With Your Dog At Parks

About 20 years ago I lived in the Seattle area. I was doing a house training lesson for a couple that owned a French Bulldog. FB's are great little dogs. Well... as we proceeded, I noticed that this dog just wouldn't stop moving around. Zoom here, zoom there, again and again. I asked if that was normal for their dog. They said they had never seen that kind of thing out of her. I stopped the lesson and told them to immediately take their dog to the vet for an exam. 

They called me afterwards. Their dog was admitted with an elevated fever and the vet believed the dog had ingested some meth. 

How could that have happened? Just before I saw them, the owner had taken their dog for a walk along the Seattle waterfront near the train tracks. This area was a known place for druggies to hang out. The guess was the dog found something with meth on it and ingested it. 

Their dog was awake and agitated for nearly 24 hours before it settled down. 

This experience, plus some other observations during outdoor lessons, makes me tell all students to be very careful with their dogs at public parks, especially around park benches. There have been numerous times I've spotted needles on the ground around the seating areas, and burn marks on the tables and benches. I've seen people ingest drugs at park benches and go completely Twilight Zone as they wander off talking and arguing with invisible enemies. I've also seen other undesirable items left on the ground, including tossed food or choking hazards that would not be safe for dogs to ingest. So, while it is great to take your dog for an outing at parks, you need to see things from their perspective and watch out for these types of hazards. Especially at parks where you know people might be using those places to get high. 

Dog Owner Loses Eye Because Of Retractable Leash

Abreu gripped the leash tightly and pulled back, trying to keep Blu under control, when the leash broke and struck her in her right eye, leaving her bloody and blind.

I’ve said this for years, I hate retractable leashes. I think they are dangerous for the dogs and the humans. When I see them in lessons, I tell the owner to throw them away. I personally know people and dogs that have been harmed. 

Don't Do Stupid Things With Your Dog

John Farnam's rules to keep you out of trouble:  

Don’t go to stupid places. 

Don’t associate with stupid people.  

Don’t do stupid things. 

Have a “normal” appearance. 

Be in bed by 10:00 PM (your own bed).  

Don’t fail the attitude test.

 

Do you do stupid things with your dog? I think the above rules are also good for people with dogs. I’d add a few myself…

 

Your dog doesn’t need to meet all other dogs or people in public

 

Don’t neglect socializing your dog prior to 12 weeks of age

 

Don’t let your dog be attacked by predators, human or otherwise

 

Don’t let your dog roam the neighborhood

 

Don’t let anyone mess with or threaten your dog

 

Don’t use off leash parks, but if you do, get out of there at the first sign of trouble

 

Don’t neglect to train your dog and get training yourself

 

Don’t let people do scary things to your dog

 

Don’t get a dog if you are not committed to follow through on that commitment

 

Don’t make your dog have a bad day

 

Don’t neglect your dog’s health

Dogs Kill Livestock

Six dogs have killed more than 50 lambs, ducks and chickens in attacks described as ‘‘horrific’' and ‘‘heartbreaking’'.

 

In most rural communities, they operate under laws that property owners can kill stray dogs, especially if they are menacing livestock. Stray dogs can menace and attack innocent people. It's a serious risk.

 

When you are in farming communities… keep your dog on leash, and make sure your dog has the training to obey your commands. 

Cage Free Dog Boarding And Rescue Facilities

“Our dream was to make a place where people wanted to go,” Franklin says. “When you think of going to an animal shelter to find a dog, it’s stressful, it’s depressing, the dogs are all barking, you don’t get to touch them, they’re behind glass or metal doors. When you walk into Muttville, you walk into a space that is really magical.”

I believe larger shelters and professional boarding kennels can accommodate cage free areas for pets. The keys to success are a.) proper and continuous supervision by the staff; b.) safety designed furniture and floorplans to prevent injuries or fights; c.) only allowing visitors who have been screened appropriately, educated on how to behave around these dogs, and supervised by staff; and d.) only mixing dogs that are highly likely to get along and not engage in violence. 

There have been tragic outcomes for dogs in cage free environments. I am assuming this facility in the article has done a good job and hasn't had any problems. Dogs have been injured and some have died in other facilities. So, the welfare of the dogs is important. Add in visitors that the dogs don’t know, and even more can go wrong. Years ago, I was preparing to conduct an outdoor group dog training class. One of the staff allowed a friend to accompany her into the yard area where dogs were finishing their play time before being picked up by their owners. I sensed something was wrong, and sure enough, a dog fight broke out between two dogs that the friend was interacting with. These were dogs that had never fought before. I warned the owner the next day that only staff should be in the yard with the dogs and not strangers. Some people can put off the wrong vibe with dogs, and behave inappropriately with dogs, and trigger fights. That is what happened here.

So, do I support cage free areas in shelters or boarding facilities? Yes. Is it a good set up for all dogs? No. Even in this article, they define the types of dogs they feel are best suited for their program. It is useful to also look at the furniture being used in the photos. For some dogs, that would be fine, for others, it wouldn’t work. I like the home environment aspects. I think that it could greatly reduce stress and help simulate a home environment for some dogs to make their stay less stressful. So… yes and no. 

Mountain Lions Kill 15 Dogs In 30 Days

“When human development expands into mountain lion habitat, the chances of encountering a mountain lion increases, and people must become more vigilant,” he said. “People living in areas with mountain lions must take precautions to avoid encounters between lions and their pets.”

When I warn people to prepare for wildlife attacks against their pets, it isn't without a factual basis. After the pandemic, many people moved away from cities and moved to more rural areas. This trend has been going on for years, but the pandemic accelerated this trend. 

There have been several complications. First, these city folk haven't the experience of living near wildlife, and so these tragedies are accelerating. Second, these city folk are voting in policies that might work in a big city, but won't work in and near the wilderness. 

The short term effects are lost pets. The long term affects will be realized as these city folk repeal the necessary ways, regulations and laws that have been developed over many years. We have seen stories coming out of Idaho where these city folk have captured flock guarding dogs, thinking they were strays, and turning them into animal control. We've seen people trying to go up and pet elk and buffalo, and in once case someone picked up a baby buffalo, put it in their car, and turned it in as if it was a stray. Currently, there are serious challenges to proper wildlife management. These people have a Disneyland view of wildlife and are imposing laws that won't make matters better. After the introduction of wolves into Yellowstone, the elk and deer populations have been decimated. Now, wolves are being introduced into Colorado, and a law is being proposed to outlaw mountain lion hunting, without any plan to support the prey they will eat. 

Pets are now on the menu. I predict that if this isn't balanced out, then these residents will be on the menu, too. 

Man Kills Cougar That Attacked His Dog

“The man said his dog, a husky, began growling and barking as the lion approached,” CPW reports. “When the lion got within about 10 feet, the dog engaged it and the man grabbed a shovel, which he used to strike the lion in the head, killing it.

When you live in areas with wild predators, you need a plan in case you or your pets are attacked. While the use of a shovel is a novel approach, I don't think that can be counted on as a good solution the next time. I think some consideration of the types of ways hunters and wildlife officers dispatch these predators is in order.

If you were to be in a confrontation with a heavyweight boxer, what minimum requirements would it take for you to prevail? That is the kind of thinking you would do regarding predators. What if it was a coyote? Another mountain lion? A black bear? A crocodile or alligator? A 15 foot python? Or let's say it wasn't a predator but another type of animal? What about a deer with antlers? An elk? A moose? A javelina? 

This incident happened 40 miles west of Pueblo, CO, in a campground near "Cañon City in Fremont County, Colorado". The dog's owner is familiar with the area, which is known to have many mountain lions. It is important to read the signs that are usually posted at the entrances of most natural parks which describe what you might encounter, and prepare accordingly. He might not have been able to prevent this attack, but I think it is important to prepare in case you have to deal with such an attack. Cougars see dogs as a good meal. Plan accordingly. 

Puppies Left In Box Outside Shelter

“9 Doberman puppies left in box outside L.A. shelter looking for forever homes”

 This is not an unknown phenomenon, especially in rural communities. People breed a litter, don’t know what to do with all those puppies, the shelters aren’t taking in any more dogs or it is after hours, so the owner puts them in a box outside the shelter. 

 

Some shelters have drop off boxes just for this purpose. Unfortunately, those boxes are unattended. These dogs are vulnerable until someone from the shelter goes out there and gets them. This is why I support the idea of shelters, especially municipal shelters, having staff on hand 24/7. 

 

Another observation: something is wrong when the public feels this is their only option. Reforms are necessary. More on that later… 

Dogs Needing Rescue Because Of Hurricane Helene

 “Chicago's Anti-Cruelty welcomed more than two dozen dogs from pet shelters in Florida”

I remember efforts like this after Hurricane Katrina. If it wasn’t for private rescues, these dogs wouldn’t have made it. There was only one downside, the influx of dogs from Louisiana introduced a more infectious and pervasive version of Leptospirosis to AZ. Hopefully these rescues are doing full parasitic and viral evaluations of these dogs before they are transported or adopted.

Knucklehead Mark Cuban Says His Dog Is Smarter Than AI

"Mark Cuban says his dog is a better problem-solver than AI right now: ‘I think smart puppies are smarter'"

I have to admit, I don't understand Mark Cuban's need to continually bloviate on almost every topic. Sometimes it is better to not say anything rather than looking stupid. I think he should stay in his wheelhouse... business investment. But even a broken clock is right twice a day, and in this case, I agree with him. A lot is being made of AI, with claims that we are almost at the point where computers are smarter than humans. 

No way are we even close to that point. Try messing around with the online AI platforms. Ask some questions and see how that turns out. They are interesting, but intelligent? Nope. Is there a danger in letting computers make significant decisions in place of humans? Yes, because they are not humans, don't have their values or insights or ability to develop wisdom. 

No computer is going to replace your dog anytime soon, or ever. 

Hawaii: New Dog Laws Aren’t The Solution

“Totor told HNN Investigates the issue of loose dogs has been a problem at the park since the beginning, adding many of the unleashed animals appear to belong to homeless people who camp nearby. “

 

The news says dog bites have increased 20% in Oahu, HI. Legislators are recommending new laws to deal with dog bites. However, that isn’t the root problem, is it? How are the authorities going to track this dog to that homeless person and hold that person accountable? None of this is going to happen. Unless and until the homeless problems are solved, these dog issues aren’t going to get solved. In the meantime, it’s all smoke and mirrors… never getting to the causes and avoiding what needs to be done. No one will be held accountable, and the dogs will be captured and put down. 

 

Stray dogs aren’t the problem in these communities. 

Protecting Dogs From Wildlife

"Bear-Proof Fence, “Grizzly Drills” Just Routine At Wyoming’s Wapiti School"

Let's say you are used to living in an urban or suburban neighborhood that doesn't have large predators. You get used to that environment. You think that's the way it must be everywhere.

Then... you either move to a more rural area, or take a vacation to a more rural area, and you assume that you can just do what you have always done. It's only a matter of time before something bad will happen.

Imagine living in Cody, WY and having to do grizzly drills at the local grade schools! Bet you never considered that kind of thing as normal. I am sure we will soon hear reports of grizzlies in the Plains states, and other reports of them well outside Wyoming and Montana. I remember when they banned cougar hunting with dogs in Washington State, and then these mountain lions were spotted near grade schools during recess. In other parts of the world, kids can't just wait at the corner by themselves for the school bus, such as in Siberia or Alaska. You don't do that kind of thing there. I'm sure similar concerns are on the minds of people in Africa, Australia, Asia, South America and other places.

In AZ, you can have predators and other dangerous animals visit your property, endangering your pets and family. We have black bear, mountain lions, bobcats, lynx, coyotes, javelina, rattlesnakes, coral snakes, and large birds of prey. People come here, let their pets in their yards without supervision, and sometimes... no more pet. I am thinking of someone I know who lives near Camelback Mountain. They have a small grave marker on their property where they buried their small white fluffy dog. I'm not sure what kind of predator got him, but there wasn't much left of him when they went calling for him and he didn't come in the house. I had a student who lived in Scottsdale, also with a small white fluffy dog. Her dog was mauled by a large predatory bird in her back yard. Fortunately, the dog survived, but it needed stitches because it was torn up badly.

Similarly, in AZ, and other places with large animals, you need to not just go along as if everything is going to be safe. Sometimes the pet is attacked. Sometimes the human is also attacked. There have been stories all over the West detailing such tragedies. 

When I travel, I always consider wildlife risks. Especially since almost all my vacations are in the mountain states. I have anecdotal stories, from credible sources, of sightings of dangerous animals in all these places. 

I'm sure similar stories can be told in Eastern states. I know there are bears, moose, wolves, coyotes and other animals there. And of course, in the southeastern states... big reptiles and invasive snakes. 

Do you think about these things when you travel, or consider moving to a new place? I do.

Inmate Charged After Punching Therapy Dog

An inmate allegedly punched and seriously injured a therapy dog puppy.

One thing I have learned over the years, not everyone is going to be nice to your dog. This is also true for therapy and service dogs. 

Good hearted volunteers who take therapy dogs to visit various people often have their guards down when doing their work. A built in assumption is that others are going to appreciate their dogs equally. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Whether visiting children or adults, regardless of the situation, I recommend two adults per therapy dog. One person is a lookout and helper. The other person is the dog's owner and handler. This way, everyone's welfare can be seen from all angles. I have used this approach for a while, and I think it should be standard practice. 

In this article, the alleged bad guy is a habitual offender. What kind of 27 year old man would feel it ok to punch a gentle 13 month old King Charles Cavalier Spaniel so hard that the dog suffered from a concussion? The news says they are going to charge this creep with the maximum allowable penalties, maybe as much as 8 years in prison. 

Be careful in all therapy dog environments. Not everyone is going to be good to your dog.

‘Miracle’ dog stuck in car’s grille

"‘Miracle’ dog stuck in car’s grille for 12 hours after being hit in Florida."

It is amazing that this dog survived this ordeal. I've seen several stories in which wild animals survived in a similar way, such as coyotes. 

Army Testing Robot Dogs

"Army Testing Robot Dogs Armed with Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Rifles in Middle East"

After some research and thinking, we are a long way from being able to replace real dogs or soldiers with robots. 

Consider The Terminator, first movie. That technology doesn't exist. Putting a dog's abilities in to a drone doesn't exist, either.

If you have messed around a bit with AI (artificial intelligence) applications, they aren't all that intelligent. They are pretty dumb. Computers are good for crunching numbers, or doing word searches. But for real world style thinking, it just isn't there. 

Consider the complications of dating. Think of all the complex things it takes to go from asking someone out to getting married. No existing computer could do all of that today. No one would fall in love with a robot, even with a lifelike body, using the very best AI computers. The ability to negotiate something like that is significantly beyond what any computer can do. Now, imagine a robot, of any configuration, going into combat and fighting against a human. There is a lot more to combat than shooting a rifle. There is strategy, camouflage, negotiation, spy craft, deception techniques, concepts of good and evil, coordination with plans and goals of the nation you represent, and on and on. Included in all of this is the lack of sensory abilities and processing compared to living organisms. We can perceive things a computer can't. Same with a dog.

I think there are uses for such technology. Hopefully, the US military is consulting with top K9 trainers to help enhance whatever they are developing to give them insight into the behaviors that make a dog useful in combat.

Seattle Animal Shelter Director Resigns

"Rodriguez said the city fell short of fully funding shelter positions - like behaviorists and foster coordinators. He also voiced frustration over the city’s lack of action in remodeling the shelter in Interbay"

Shelters across the US are in trouble. I have spent considerable time with a team of rescue volunteers and have developed a rescue shelter model. Part of the solution resides in the idea that government WILL NEVER BE good at animal rescue. Government isn't capable of doing this well, and it should instead privatize as much of their operations as possible. Governments are good at collecting taxes and enforcing laws. They shouldn't be in the animal welfare business.

We now have shelters across the country patting themselves on the back for engaging in "managed intake", and touting their "no kill" statistics. These numbers are inevitably manipulated to give the impression that things are fine. They are not. When you can control the number of pets in and out, and how those numbers appear in your reports, then you can make them look any way you wish. The result, deserving pets are being turned away, or not being picked up by animal control, that need help. It is all an illusion. 

It is time long past time to have these conversations in your home town. If it is government run, you can almost guarantee it is being mismanaged. 

Severe Animal Neglect

"Moment Dog Rescued After Family Locked Her In Tiny Room Then Moved Away"

Assuming this was purposeful... this kind of thing should result in a prison sentence. These type of stories hit the news fairly regularly. People know right from wrong. I would not let them off the hook.

Dogs aren't furniture

Off Duty San Antonio K9 Officer Involved In Dog Shooting

“… the off-duty officer fired multiple shots at the dogs attacking his K9. Two of the neighbor's dogs were reportedly hit, officials said, and the K9 was also hit in the gunfire.”

"A San Antonio Police K9 is dead, and two dogs were shot after an off-duty police officer tried to stop his K9 from being attacked"

This is a sad situation all the way around. Some thoughts…

Sometimes, a location will set off my internal alarm bells, telling me to be extra careful. Looking at the street view of the homes, I don’t see any obvious signs that you would need to be extra careful with a K9 or pet. This looks to have happened in a normal looking suburban neighborhood. The incident happened around lunch time. Life can be unpredictable, and bad stuff can happen anywhere, and can come into to your home and your yard. It is normal for all of us to let our guard down when at home in a peaceful looking suburban neighborhood. Most people don’t want to be in Condition Yellow at home. Here in AZ, the risk might not be another dog, it could be some kind of wild predator that can get into your yard. I think it a good idea to have a plan wherever you live to game out how you might prevent or deal with such a situation. Most people, however, are unaware of this concept because the average person doesn’t track this kind of thing in the news. They might be thinking about a burglar, but… an intrusion by another animal? Being a dog trainer, I watch for these stories to see what I might learn from them.

The news articles say 3 dogs broke through a fence to attack the K9. That indicates to me some big, strong dogs. The news says the officer and his wife couldn’t physically get the dogs apart. That isn’t unusual, especially with these many dogs. Dogs are also incredibly strong when fighting. Was the fencing inadequate to keep these dogs contained? As I look around the neighborhood on the internet using street view, the fences seem like normal fences. The news stories say the owners of these dogs had just moved in 3 weeks prior and had never seen this kind of thing from their dogs before. Dogs can be more suspicious and stressed in new environments, so that could have played a part, but there is no such information in the news that I read. We don’t know what set these dogs off. The main conclusion here for me is that all dog owners need to inspect their property walls and fencing to keep out neighbor’s dogs and wild predators. Ask, can that barrier be defeated in some way? Since the news indicates the dogs broke through the fencing, maybe that means the fencing was somehow damaged before all this happened, whether by weather, aging, or some other factor. Walk your property, go look at your boundaries. Are they still in good condition? Could an animal go under, over, or through into your property? If so, then you have some work to do.

Regarding the K9 that was killed in this situation. It is hard enough for a dog to fight off another dog, much less 3 dogs. Most K9’s aren’t selected for their aggressive capabilities to fight off another animal. They are selected, raised and trained to be relatively neutral towards other dogs. All dog fighting is not tolerated. So, this dog was confronted with a situation that it was most likely unprepared to handle. It is also going to be very difficult for someone with a firearm to shoot multiple dogs in a fast moving dog fight. There have been several stories in the news of hunters being attacked by bears and the hunters shooting themselves as they defended themselves. There are also stories of those who use a firearm to get a bear off of someone, and the person with the firearm having to be concerned that the bullet might ricochet inside the bear, make a turn, and injure the victim. Furthermore, dogs’ bodies are not the same as human bodies. As I mentioned, bullets are unpredictable once they enter tissue and hit a bone. They can deflect and go in strange directions and come out in ways that are not in line with the direction the bullet first entered. Add in all that commotion of a full-blown fight with 4 dogs, and the use of a gun, while possibly justified (I don’t know the specifics or the laws there), is going to be hard to manage. Note, the K9 was managed by a police officer, who would have had plenty of training with a firearm, and he still ended up shooting his own dog, and only shooting 2 of the 3 other dogs. If he had had some other tool, say bear spray, would that have stopped the fight? That is an unknown. Plenty of bear attacks, as a parallel example, are stopped with bear spray, but a percentage of those cases the bear spray doesn’t work and the victim is either killed, badly mauled, or the bear must be shot. A split second decision had to be made, and I don’t think you can second guess what the officer did, especially when all you must go on is what some reporters have written down. Furthermore, reaching into a full-blown fight is very dangerous. People have done that before, and then all the dogs turned on the humans and the humans were then killed. Dogs have also been in fights, now in a frenzy, going on to attack nearby humans. So, doing nothing isn't always the best option, either. There is no easy answer. I think this entire situation is a tragedy for all involved. The news indicates the owners of the 3 dogs have been cited for some violations, but I don’t know if those alleged violations had not been made if that would have prevented this from ever happening. 

Moral to the story? Well, from my perspective, I’ll adopt the Boy Scout motto: “Be Prepared”. I have been criticized for noting dangers and risks when I evaluate situations. Some people tire of my opinions because they want to only hear stuff that fits the happy stories in their heads. I look for risks to help my students who might not focus on "what could be". I believe there is wisdom in the streets; wisdom is to be found everywhere if you look for it; good outcomes are mostly a result of experience, knowledge, and acquired judgment; and sometimes it is a good idea to lean on the wisdom of others, such as elders or professionals, to advise you. For this case, I would say, for me, a few things that stand out: a.) develop a Code Yellow mindset; b.) inspect your property to prevent escapes and intrusions; and c.) have a plan. People do this with respect to prevention of burglaries. We plan and consider that people might want to get into our property. We do that when considering what we would need to do if we had to escape our property, such as if the house was on fire. However, people who are not dog trainers possibly don’t consider that animals can also be motivated to get into or out of our property.

Demi Moore‘s Dog

"Demi Moore‘s teeny dog Pilaf melts the hearts of Graham Norton, Lady Gaga and Colin Farrell"

Celebrities have pets. That might not seem significant, but I think that matters. There is a tendency to demonize celebrities. What celebrity doesn't have haters? I think it would be hard to be super famous; you'd have to develop a thick skin. Yes, celebrities bring on some of this when they get out of their lane. Even so, when the cameras are gone, it is nice to see that they are actually real people like everyone else. 

Drone Cleans Up Dog Poop

"DOG POOP DRONE CLEANS UP THE YARD SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO"

Feces should be picked up immediately after your dog poops. Poop smells bad; is unsanitary; can attract predators to your yard; attracts flies which are disease carriers; can harbor parasites; can inhibit dogs from eliminating quickly in your yard again; and is unsightly. You should also inspect your dog's stools regularly as a way of checking on your dog's health. Whoever let the dog out to eliminate should be the one to pick up after the dog.

My opinion? Unless you have a disability, or doing maintenance for an off leash park, you shouldn't own a dog if you let the poop pile up to the point you need a drone. This could be a useful device in very specific situations, but for the average dog owner, regular care and maintenance of your dog is your job, not the job of a drone.

What Kind Of Dog Should I Get?

I am asked what kind of dog is best for a first time dog owner. 

There are lots of videos online saying "this is the best breed for" you. Many of these posts are made by dog trainers, but a lot of the advice is worthless for the newbie. Here's my advice...

Get a social dog. Get a dog that is friendly with everyone and every animal. I'm less concerned with breed, or a mix, for a new owner. They will sort their preferences out as they go out looking for that new family member. 

The hardest cases are first time dog owners who have gotten in over their heads with specialty breeds that are not known for being social. That one obstacle to a happy experience can make them decide to do harsh things to try and fix responses that they don't understand, to neglect the dog's proper socialization, to give the dog away, or to endanger others and not know the seriousness of what they are doing. 

Rescues should screen out newbies and only adopt out to them the most friendly dogs in their care. Breeders should turn away newbies who aren't prepared for dogs that were bred to be suspicious of strangers and other animals. These suspicious types of dogs are better for people who have already successfully owned their first dog. Much of the groundwork of learning can be accomplished with a friendly first dog. Then on subsequent dogs, it will be easier to add additional skills. 

Another Rover Dog Tragedy

"Pugslee had been brutally attacked and killed by the pet sitter’s own dog"

As a general rule, I would prefer to not have a pet sitter have their dogs, kids, friend, spouses or anyone else interact with my student's dogs. I think when you hire a pet sitter, you are hiring them to work with your dog, period. The safest way is to keep them separate from others while the owners are away. I understand why some pet sitters take customer dogs into their own homes, however, that is possibly going to be for the convenience of the sitter, not for the benefit of the customer. 

Most pet sitters are not going to be animal behavior experts. I don't expect them to be, and I don't think they should be putting unfamiliar dogs together. I just want them to feed, water, potty, clean up the yard, safely play with, exercise, and supervise the dogs until the owner is back home.

I don't know what happened here. We don't have enough information from the article. However, my opinion on how to manage dogs with pet sitters is the same as above. 

Dog Ownership And Owner Fitness

People get injured managing their dogs. Owning a dog is inherently risky, and more so for people who aren't sufficiently in shape. 

Accidents are unavoidable and are sometimes dangerous. Some are preventable, or at least the risks can be minimized. If you have dogs, eventually you are going to get some kind of injury. That is something to be accepted as part of owning a dog. Just like there are various risks to driving a car, or getting married, or eating crunchy foods, there are risks to being around a dog and working with a dog. Here are some examples:

1. There is a person who got entwined in her small dog's leash. She fell and shattered her elbow. The injury was so bad that she required elbow replacement surgery. 

2. There was a person doing some beginning agility with their dog. They tripped and fell. Fortunately, the surface was soft sand and they were mostly shaken up. The bigger risk was that they were elderly, and the shock of the fall made them have to sit out the rest of the lesson. 

3. I was working my own dog having him drag a 20 foot long line. I tossed a toy for him to fetch. I didn't realize that the end of the line was under my left foot. As he ran, the line caught my ankle, pulled my foot out from underneath me, and I hyperextended my left knee. That was back around 2001, and that knee still isn't 100%. 

4. I was working my own dog in the snow with a Schutzhund club in Olympia, WA. He was romping around in the snow and ran around some big bushes. I called him back, he came running full speed around the corner, didn't stop, and butted his head full speed into my right thigh. I went back and down onto my bum like a sack of rocks. It hurt like crazy, and I wondered how bad I had been injured. After a couple of minutes, I got up and found I was OK. But my thigh must have been bruised deeply, because it hurt there for nearly a year. It never was discolored, but it was a deep hurt for a long time. 

5. A person was taking their puppy back to their vehicle to go home. Right after putting the dog in the SUV and closing the door, a couple of big dogs got loose from their owner, and attacked this person. She was injured, to the point of needing stitches and antibiotics. The owner of the 2 dogs ran off with their dogs and never helped her at all. 

Here are some ideas to help. 

A.) There is no substitute for training with your own dog. If someone has no experience working with a dog, then they have little chance of anticipating what might go wrong. Yes, you might just be teaching a puppy to Sit for a treat, but there is a lot more to it than that. You are learning about how that dog behaves and reacts along the way. It is better to make non-serious mistakes in a class, even if there is a risk of being injured, than to be seriously injured in a real world situation that you are completely at a loss to deal with.

B.) I recommend that people take some beginning martial arts classes to learn how to fall. You can do beginning Judo classes to accomplish that. People tend to fall like a tree that was chopped down, rather than controlling how they land and how they absorb the fall. If you can fall properly, without having to think about how to do it, you have a better chance of not getting injured badly and permanently. It is also important to maintain quick reflexes. You can't do that without practicing fast and agile movements throughout your lifetime.

C.) It is important to maintain muscle strength and mass throughout your lifetime. You have a better chance of absorbing an accident, or fighting back in the case of an attack, if you are physically fit. Most people don't stay fit, especially the older they get. There is no benefit to letting yourself get out of shape. You have to accept that being fit is an important element to successful and safe pet ownership. What if you have to carry your dog back home; could you do it? What if you have to run away? What if you have to fight off 2 or more dogs? 

Are you keeping yourself fit for proper pet ownership? If not, then you are being negligent about your health and safety. You also are shortening your life, and your pet needs you to be healthy to live a full life with them and to keep them healthy and safe. Everyone can do something. Everyone can move something on their body every day, even if they have to start with the smallest of efforts. Exercise is often painful and hard to schedule. Do it anyway. Life, after you are born, is something that you have to learn to earn and protect. No one deserves to be fit. It isn't a gift. Fitness is only earned through merit. 

Woman Killed By Her Own Dogs

"Chehalis woman dies after being attacked by her own dogs"

My observation... as I have read these stories over the years, I think many of these incidents are when the owner tried to break up a fight between their dogs over some kind of food or toy. It is very dangerous to get involved in any dog fight. There is no safe or painless way that always works. 

Dog Left On Balcony Dies Of Heat Stroke

"Dog left on apartment balcony in Pleasanton dies from heat stroke"

This isn't the first time I've seen a story like this in the news. 

I'm going to speculate on why these incidents happen. I think the primary reason is that these are dogs that are either not house trained, or are destructive in the home (possibly suffering from separation anxiety). In the article, the preliminary investigation says that this "was not intentional", which leads me to think that the owner didn't realize the dog was on the porch before closing the door and leaving the unit. 

Dog trainers can help fix house training and separation anxiety. A porch isn't appropriate confinement for any dog. 

If it was a mistake, let me tell you what I do before I leave home... I have a memorized checklist. I walk the house from room to room and confirm if windows are locked, electronics are off, things are put away, water bowls full, some doors closed, appropriate toys put out, gates closed and locked, lights either on or off, etc. I do this every time. I got this idea from listening to how pilots run checklists before they take off. By having a checklist, and doing it exactly the same way every time, you lessen the risk of something going wrong. 

CA Gov Newsom Signs Pet Insurance Transparency Bill

"Newsom signs bill requiring pet insurance providers to be more transparent about coverage, premiums"

While I'm not a fan of the overregulation tendencies of California, this bill actually sounds like a good thing. Consumers should have access to some standardized disclosures when making insurance purchases. While I think that pet insurance is a good thing, I don't think the way the companies market their services is fair to the consumer. I have been asked numerous times which company I prefer, and I have to explain there isn't a good way to tell one from another except from reading consumer reviews. The problem with reviews of any company, insurance or restaurants or hotels or whatever, is that they can be manipulated and don't necessarily reflect what you will actually experience. 

Let's watch how this goes. Hopefully it turns out well. California severely damaged property insurers and drove them out of the state. California is a messed up state, we all know that. So, this new law might doom pet insurance or make it better. No way to tell right now. 

Many Americans are getting priced out of owning a pet

"Many Americans are getting priced out of owning a pet. Almost a quarter of pet owners (23%) say they’ve considered going petless due to costs, and 39% say they won’t own a pet again in the future. Additionally, 12% of Americans (and 25% of Gen Zers) have surrendered a pet because they could no longer afford to care for it."

This economy is in trouble, and it is negatively impacting pet ownership and pet rescue. 

My recommendation, for pet owners and pet rescue? Get out of debt as much as possible. If you can't pay it down now, then refinance it to a lower interest rate and on better terms. Free up cash flow. In addition, improve your skills in the marketplace. For individuals, gain more knowledge about your profession and make yourself more competitive. For rescues, go to seminars and find out how to better manage your operations; treat it like a business and not just a hobby. Become more efficient and effective. 

Rover Sitter Loses Dog In 14 Minutes

 "Los Angeles couple asks for community help after Rover sitter loses dog"

Here's the deal with pet sitting. First, I recommend that before you consider leaving a dog with anyone, you do a full safety/ escape evaluation of your property. If you need help, then consider hiring a dog trainer to walk the property with you, in and out. I have done this numerous times over the years and have identified risks for the owner. There are too many to mention here, but some examples are... 

Outdoors: I look for risks such as predators; weather/ temperature; obviously poisonous plants or supplies in the yard; tripping hazards; bothersome neighbors; quality of fencing and gates; swimming pool/ drowning risks; slippery or damaged patios; falling risks; etc.  

Indoors: Falling hazards; adequacy of the doors to lock inside and at escape points; relationships between all the pets; food storage; water access; power cords; doggie doors; etc.

Next, I get to know the background of the dog. What is this dog going to be like alone? What will this dog most likely be like with a sitter? What about medical conditions of the dog? Age of the dog? Behavioral history of the dog?

Lastly, what can you find out about the proposed sitter? At the very least, you need to meet them with your dog and size them up. Does everyone like one another? Plus references, since there have been people who have posed as sitters who instead have been accused of abusing and/or stealing and selling the pets in their care. You need to create an agreement of everything they are to do, from the smallest details like how to put on a leash, how to feed your dogs, scheduling, whether they will bring any guests with them (I'm not in favor of them bringing anyone over to your place, especially their children, boyfriends/ girlfriends; and absolutely no parties). If they are staying at your home over night, then that needs to be worked out, too. Then a plan in case of emergencies. How to lock up the place. How to prevent your dog from running out the door. How to contact you or a vet in case of an emergency. And a whole lot more. I think it a good idea to also arrange to have a tracking device on your dog the entire time the dog is not confined in a home crate or kennel, while being supervised, such as a GPS type of collar. 

I don't know what specifically happened in this case. It would be interesting to get more background so everyone could learn some important lessons.

More Coyote Attacks On Dogs

"Neighbors report several attacks on dogs, some out on walks, others hunted in their own backyards, some deadly. They say cats have been killed as well... They also say make sure your yard is well maintained. That there aren’t bushes for them to hide in and pick up after your dog uses the bathroom because that too can attract coyotes."

What precautions are you taking to keep your pets safe? 

Dogs and Fluoride?

 I'm not convinced that tap water is good for dogs. 

"Fluoride Exposure: Neurodevelopment and Cognition"

Pet Shelter Overpopulation

 Why are pet shelters and rescues filled past capacity? Some blame breeders, others irresponsible dog owners, and some poorly run shelters and rescues. While all of these do contribute to this crisis, the current problem that no one is talking about... the economy is in such poor shape. We are either in, or about to fall into, a recession. Currently, government mismanagement of the economy is the cause, and is the primary reason so many pets are being put down.

Dog food pulled from shelves nationwide

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports a pet food company is voluntarily withdrawing some of their beef and chicken dog food after samples tested positive for salmonella and listeria monocytogenes."

It is a good idea to do a weekly scan of FDA reports regarding pet food recalls. It happens a lot more frequently than you might imagine. Some of this food comes from overseas, and after watching this for many years, I am convinced that the surveillance and supervision testing of foreign sourced pet supplies and foods is poorly implemented. 

Tommy Lee's Wife Rescues Dog From Coyote

"The wife of Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee rescued one of their dogs from a coyote attack in their backyard, a frightening video shows."

We have a number of predators in AZ that are dangerous to dogs. The main concerns I see are: coyotes, bobcats, large birds (hawks and owls), the occasional mountain lion, and wolves. People are warned all the time, and yet many don't take precautions. We have other animals that are also hazards: rattlesnakes, javelin, and bees. These are also extremely dangerous.

Wherever you live, you should assess the wildlife hazards in your area, and know how to prevent or them drive off. Here's my homework for you. Let's say you live in AZ, take each of the above and describe how you would LEGALLY deter each, and what you would do if your dog was being attacked, both at home and away from home:

1. coyote, 

2. bobcats, 

3. large birds (hawks and owls), 

4.) the occasional mountain lion, 

5.) wolf (individual or pack), 

6.) rattlesnake, 

7.) javelina,

8.) bees

 

Dog Training Terminology

I had a lesson today with a new student. The appointment was to deal with his dog’s separation anxiety. However, it wasn’t that. This situation was a good example of why it is important to know proper terminology and definitions... (MORE)

Do You Need A Watchdog?

We live in crazy times, right? Not really. Times have always been crazy. People are people and a percentage of people are unsafe to be around. In my life, I try to stay away from troubled people who do, or advocate for, or believe in extreme responses to normal things. We have all made mistakes in life, giving these people more leeway than we should have, or not seeing the potential dangers they intend, or not knowing their history. Some people are good actors, and they can sometimes fool an unsuspecting innocent person into letting them into their lives and homes. Sometimes, a dog can alert you out of your complacency, letting you know that not everything is right about a person. Many dogs can sense that kind of thing... (MORE)

Real World Dog Obedience

What is the difference between classroom dog obedience and real-world dog obedience?

Yesterday, I was working with a student who has a service dog puppy in training. We were at a public location, for the first time. What seemed like a simple concept turned out to be harder than she expected. She made mistakes, so did her dog. That was a good thing. She was pretty tired and told me she didn’t realize how much more work it was taking a service dog in public compared to just walking her other dog... (MORE)

Managing Dogs In Groups

 It is essential dog owners manage their dogs when with other dogs... 

Dogs and Physical Fitness

 I'm seeing a lot of out of shape dogs lately... 

Do Good Dog Trainers Successfully Use Focused Intimidation To Fix Behavioral Problems?

Many TV and social media training gurus advocate purposeful and focused intimidation, coercion, and other negative influences to attempt to fix dogs. Is that OK and does it work? (MORE) 

An Example Of Teaching A Dog Skills

I was hired a few years ago to train a young female pointer. She was about a year old when the husband took her out with his friends and their dogs to go bird hunting. The outcome was less than ideal. She ran all over the place, never found and pointed a bird, she wouldn’t Come when called, never retrieved a bird, and it took him nearly 45 minutes to get her back into the truck because she was afraid of being in a crate. His friends told him to get an electric collar... (MORE) 

Happy Dog Discovery

A happy dog is easier in every way. That is why I make happiness a priority in all my dog training programs... (MORE)

Dogs And Night Terrors

I have encountered and worked with dogs which exhibit abnormal behaviors at night. Here are some examples... (MORE) 

Dog Training And Unexpected Emergencies

Many people don’t understand why we train dogs. For some, they just think it is a bunch of tricks, and just want a dog that will Sit and Come. To me, and my students, there is a lot more to it than that... (MORE) 

Tough Love Dog Training Advice

There are times I must tell students that what they are doing is causing more harm than good. Sometimes that is taken in good spirit, and other times… well that is what this article is about... (HERE)

Dogs That Shut Down

I’m currently working with a dog that has been shutting down during lessons. This was one of the issues I was hired to address... (MORE) 

Dogs and Bad Attitudes

 

Dogs and Household Chores

Both Can’t Be True

 A dog owner’s mindset can be a roadblock for making gains in training. I have heard many new students tell me that their dog “knows” this or that. Or they say that their dog doesn’t need to learn this or that. And then, right after that, they are describing situations where the dog doesn’t know this or that. What’s that all about? (MORE)

Lifetime Dog Training Fundamentals Series

As I write this article, it is now the peak heat part of summer in Arizona. Every year, at this time, I encourage all my students to learn and practice my Lifetime Fundamentals Series (back to basics). These are the crucial skills and habits for both the dogs and owners that are taught and practiced in a slow, methodical system. 

Every top professional has a set of fundamental skills that are the basis for whatever else they do. I meet a lot of people, so I recently had the opportunity to speak with a soldier who does top level fighting for the US military. I asked him, “how often do you practice your fundamentals?” His answer? “Every day.” Think about that, this man does the most advanced types of operations, but he still practices his fundamentals every day. Yet… do we know what the fundamental skills are for our dogs and for ourselves? Most people don’t have any idea, no purpose, no motivation, no plan... (MORE) 

Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Dog?

The effects of spaying and neutering dogs are variable. But are the outcomes acceptable from a health, behavior and welfare standpoint? What does the current research say? Earlier studies were used to justify surgical interventions, but those studies had methodological shortcomings and inadequate sample sizes. Politics have also confounded the public’s understanding since there has been a long standing dispute with the animal rights community over private ownership of domesticated animals of any type, and thus we have been told fantastical stories to justify the potential elimination of pets and livestock. Many studies have been hampered by very small sample sizes, and are often the results of surveys which can lack objectivity. The latest studies have been better constructed to help guide owners and veterinarians. Let’s take a glance at the current thinking. 

You’re Turning Your Dog Into A Robot

Years ago, I was working with a new student. A few days prior, we had completed a first lesson with her puppy. We were using treats and using luring to establish beginning word associations for Sit, Down, Come and Heel. Pretty standard stuff. She was at a quiet park, as I recommended, doing her homework. Along came some woman in a car who pulled over, went over to my student, and made a big scene, saying “You’re turning your dog into a robot!” My student contacted me afterwards quite upset and almost in tears. I had to reassure her she wasn’t doing anything wrong, and this busybody was out of line and goofy. Over time, we finished the training of her dog, and everything turned out well.

Purely Positive Dog Training?

What is my main complaint about PP (Purely Positive dog) training theory? Of all the famous trainers I have followed, they don’t truly have trained dogs. They are just tolerating, managing, or blocking undesired behaviors. That means they can’t train your dogs to live in their Promised Land: your dog will not be under verbal control, off leash, at a distance, around strong distractions. Would you consider a finished dog out of their program (and everyone has a different label for it: basic, intermediate, advanced, titled, certified) to have the essential abilities? 

What’s The Truth About Using Aversive Methods In Dog Training?

No normal person wants to harm a dog. Let’s get that out of the way up front. This article is not about how to harm any dog. If you are someone who would take your anger out on a dog, or get pleasure from harming a dog, then you should stay about a million miles away from any dog. The question we are going to examine: is there a role for making a dog uncomfortable, stressed or afraid in training? Scientists have determined there are fear systems in the brain. When those systems are stimulated, animals and people display behaviors that are associated with fear. Fear has a necessary survival function. Without fear, animals would not survive. One of my promises to all my students is that whatever I do will be done intelligently. So, let’s use our intelligence here and not succumb to maudlin tales of woe from those in the dog community who don’t know what they are saying or are being dishonest about what they do themselves. I’m not here to give you permission to start yelling and abusing your dog. If you do that, it’s on you. That isn’t good dog ownership or good dog training. This article is about straightening out concepts, so we do what is right. 

What Is Owner Absent Misbehavior?

Some dogs soil the home when the owner is gone, destroy things when you are not around, bark or howl, dig, or cause trouble for other members or pets in the family. This is “Owner Absent Misbehavior”.

How Is Your Relationship With Your Dog?

If your dog Comes happily, allows grooming, accepts a leash and collar, likes playing with you, likes being petted by you, listens to your commands, can be left home alone without distress or destruction, and doesn’t have to be left in the yard while you are gone, then you have a good relationship with your dog. How does your dog stack up?

Rescues, Shelters And Breeders Need To Focus On The Puppies

What would make the biggest impact on reducing the number of dogs in animal shelters, and consequently, the number of dogs put to death every year? Rescues, shelters and breeders need to start focusing on puppy socialization and training. Get the puppies right and you are much less likely to get them back. 

Companion Dogs

My specialty is working with companion dogs. My students get dogs to be companions. They are treated well and treated as family members. Most people get dogs to be companions, however, that’s not how it works out for many dogs.

Pavlov Wasn’t A Dog Trainer:

Have you ever engaged in a dog training conversation when someone said, “well, the science says”? I’ve seen a lot of that stuff over the years. I confess, I have said stuff like this, as well. However, when discussing dog training methods, we first must ask what is the quality of the evidence?

What Does Your Presence Predict To Your Dog?

How’s your relationship with your dog? For most people, the relationship with their dog needs improvement.

Sadness And Depression From The Loss Or Death Of A Dog

The mourning from losing a pet, whether through abandonment, escape, rehoming, or death is usually difficult and painful. It is also concerning when the mourning results in pathological defensive coping responses, especially when it involves children.

Why Socialize Dogs?

What is the purpose of socializing dogs? Why is it important for a puppy to meet many friendly strangers, other friendly dogs, go in a wide variety of places and be exposed to a wide variety of environmental stimuli?

Healing Dog And Human Relationships

Living organisms have built-in mechanisms to repair damages and restore health. Healing is usually referred to as a biological process that results in recovery from a disease or other injury. Healing also refers to other biological processes that result in recovery from psychological injury. When dogs or humans are physically injured, we usually assist the body to make repairs over time. When dogs or humans are psychologically injured, we should also assist the body’s psychological mechanisms to make psychological repairs over time. When either of these processes go awry insufficient healing can cause chronic disturbances. In this article, we are going to focus on psychological health and healing regarding relationships with and between dogs. 

Why Are Private Dog Training Lessons Best?

Dog training programs typically fall into one of the following categories: group classes; board and train; and private lessons. There are two significant obstacles which prevent making significant changes in a dog’s behavior, and these are best overcome through a private lesson program.

Separation Anxiety And Destructive Behavior In Dogs

Dogs are often destructive chewers when suffering from Separation Anxiety. Owners, and many dog trainers, tend to use a variety of punishments to attempt to stop the chewing. But these punishments never work. That’s because they misunderstand what is going on.

Rotten Wood Cannot Be Carved

 I love ancient proverbs, and it is good idea to know many. They can give us answers at just the right moment. One excellent proverb is: “Rotten wood cannot be carved.” There are others I have found useful, too. What does that mean in the dog training world?

Environmental Enrichment For Dogs

Oh, how do you solve a problem like Maria? How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand? — “Maria” lyrics from the 1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The Sound of Music.

Dogs are inspiring moonbeams, with special qualities and needs that require special answers. Dogs are not problems, we are the problem. Let's talk about Environmental Enrichment For Dogs... 

A New Consideration Why Dogs Bite Kids

It is well established that young children are at the greatest risk of serious injury from being bitten by a dog. It is also well established that young children, when deprived of their mother’s care, can experience significant disturbed emotional responses from protest, to despair, to detachment, and sometimes aggression. 

Are You Being Kind To Your Dog?

Every dog training era has ended up this way: dog training is abnormally mechanical and formulaic as a result of new fads that are now considered “the way”. It’s kind of like how a family makes the same recipes their parents and grandparents made, and even when some aspect of the recipe is found to be unhealthy, it’s hard to get everyone to change.

Dog Training Method Cookbooks

We are a long way from completely understanding how the brain works and how to fully explain, interpret and modify behavior. Yet, we have developed some good tools and insights, and it is worthwhile to invest time into the study of the latest avenues of scientific inquiry and how we got here. In the meantime, I suggest finding out how to read how your dog will help you throw away the dog training method cookbooks.

The Severe Emotional Shock Created By Animal Shelters

I was recently asked what to say to dog owners who have adopted dogs which have experienced severe emotional shocks in an animal shelter. Here is my first response: emotional shocks, which may have been physical or psychological, cause lasting disturbances in behavior which can only now be fixed by your dedicated effort.

There is a wide chasm between what animal welfare people preach and what is happening. Go to any major animal welfare website, listen to their donors, and talk with their vocal supporters: they preach positive, fear free, 5-Freedoms care and training. Yet, the animal shelters they support deploy a wide range of accidental, purposeful and sometimes methodical aversive, shocks and insults directed at the dogs in their care. You don’t have to hit a dog to abuse it. Shame on the big donors who don’t see, or decide to look the other way, when their dollars are being used to damage thousands of dogs every year. I don’t care about your sponsored adoption events, spay/ neuter clinics, microchip and vaccination drives, self-congratulating postings on various social media, or sad TV public service announcements. Those in the trenches see it every day, but their requests for help from you are like shooting arrows at a brass sky. They don’t reach those who have the influence and resources to demand fundamental changes.

On the flip side, there is so much ignorance regarding what to do with traumatized dogs at home, in foster care, or in a boarding kennel. Let’s get this one out of the way up front: the troublesome behaviors you see and don’t like aren’t the dog getting back at you, being dominant, being stubborn. The dog has been traumatized. What that dog needs, right away, is 1.) a safe home… which also means to get them out of that kennel; 2.) a warm attachment to a person they live with; 4.) concerted wise efforts to deal with any fears and abnormal behaviors; 5.) sufficient medical care; and 6.) proper nutrition to get back to a normal weight.

A lot of people misread rescued dogs. The dog doesn’t eat, must not be food motivated. Wrong. The dog doesn’t obey, the dog must be dominant and stubborn. Wrong. The dog growls at this or that I do with the dog, must be punished somehow. Wrong. The dog lunges at strangers or strange dogs, I’m so mad I’m going to ignore the dog all night. Wrong. I saw this to do with dogs on TV, it’s going to work. Wrong. 

Traumatized dogs will appear to refuse to perform anything correctly. They will resist a lot of things, or violently try to escape, such as being put into a crate or being left alone. They will emit a range of distress vocalizations, from whining to barking. Some will sleep too much; others will be hyperactive. Some also show physical signs, such as the house training isn’t working, the dog pants a lot, elevated heart rate, temperature runs hot, digestive upset, runny stools. Other signs can be outright refusals to accept a collar or leash; humping someone or the other dog; jumping up on people; hiding under the bed; guarding a food bowl, bone, toy, or location; air biting; excessive licking; difficulty accepting other pets or other people in the home; jumpy and barking at the smallest noises or movements; inability to get to know friends, guests or new animals; and difficulty with bathing and grooming. This is just a partial list, but you get the idea. This isn’t a dog that needs to be dominated, bullied, emotionally punished, and subjected to all manner of aversive methods. Instead, this is a dog that is in trouble and needs your help to get out that mess. 

Dogs like this don’t fix themselves. Harshly stressed dogs have an uncertain future unless you figure out what is going on and get the diagnosis and treatment right early on. Stressed dogs die young, either from early “natural” death, a disease, or because the dog eventually hurts another animal or person, and the vet is instructed to put a needle in their forearms and end it all. Lazy, or neurotic, owners need not apply.

I realize none of this is fun to talk about, but this all must stop. We must do a better job of socializing, training, medically treating, feeding, containing, and managing all dogs so they either don’t end up in shelters or are better adapted to a short term stay in a shelter and have a better ability to integrate into a new family. Normal people take good care of dogs all the time, so that isn’t an impossible expectation. We also need to start holding animal shelters to higher standards, at least best practices standards, or refuse to support them and send our efforts, votes, and money elsewhere. Municipal shelters don’t fix themselves very often, and even the ones that do tend to fall back into bureaucratic systems of harsh animal adversity. You can’t count on the politicians, media, or big donors to help. New laws won’t help, be enacted, or enforced. The public, concerned employees, and volunteers need to walk away if the situations aren’t humane. Choose the red pill to opt out of the Matrix, start your own rescue and run it right. Hang with the good people, those who do it right, educate the public and be a good example, and let the rest die on the vine. Implement the above solutions and do real animal welfare work. Please save these dogs from the system.

Does Your Dog Play?

Play is governed by an essential emotional circuit in the mammalian brain. Play circuits may also exist in other animal classes, such as birds and reptiles, but that is still yet to be proven. The impulse to play is inborn and has many theoretical purposes for survival. What does that have to do with your dog? Read on.

Confinement And Restraint Of Dogs

Animals of all species are spontaneously active because of intrinsic brain operating systems which generate adaptive innate and learned behaviors. When human brain systems are not operating properly, we call them psychiatric disorders, and in animals we call them behavioral disturbances. Fortunately, these operating systems are equipped with varying degrees of plasticity. Some behavioral outcomes are rigid and are difficult to modify, and others can be changed through stimulus activation, inactivation, or non-activation of various intrinsic functions. Animals that are trapped have innate reactions to escape. Entrapment is opposed to this natural tendency to spontaneity. Improper confinement and restraint can cause behavioral disturbances.

The Big Two Influences To Resolve Behavior Problems In Dogs

What are the two biggest factors I use to effect beneficial changes in dogs with behavioral problems?

Why more people will die unless the XL Bully is BANNED?

According to the Daily Mail, “But there are calls for the controversial American Bully XL to be banned in Britain as shocking data has revealed the breed has been involved in the majority of fatal dog attacks in the UK since 2021.”

There is nothing controversial about any breed of dog, this is a manufactured crisis, just like what was done to the Pitbull Terrier, Tosa Inu, Fila Brasiliero, and Dogo Argentino. Breed bans don’t work, people either switch breeds or make up new ones… like the XL Bully. I remember predicting this over 20 years ago when I first got into animal welfare work. At that time, pit bull bans were sweeping many cities in the US. The worst was the Denver, CO ban. I still can’t get that image out of my mind of a huge mound of dead pit bulls seized by animal control. Animal control officers went door to door to seize and kill thousands of innocent dogs from innocent owners. These deaths didn’t decrease the number of dog bite incidents. You don’t solve problems by doing evil things, and killing innocent dogs is evil.

There is something mentally wrong with someone who wants to ban a dog breed. Seriously. Politicians will ride this pony to gain political influence, same with others. They don’t really give a rip about public safety or dogs; they care about finding an issue they can use for their own benefit. Lots of parasites out there willing to ban dogs for the irresponsible and negligent actions, and sometimes innocent mistakes, of people.

Should the XL be banned? Nope. Is there an epidemic of dog bite deaths in the UK, or anywhere else in the world? No. The Daily Mail has always published sensation- stimulating articles. That’s their gig. It sells, and makes them money, too. 

What is the NUMBER ONE thing that can be done to prevent aggressive dog attacks? Early puppy socialization, starting at 2 weeks of age, and then morphing into young puppy socialization classes at 8 weeks of age. Do that, you’ll make any breed safe to be around. Teach bite inhibition early, and this stuff goes away. I could create a new breed today. Unless you want to ban all dogs, which means you are goofy in the head, consider better options that will actually work.

The 13 Biggest Problems With Municipal Animal Control Shelters

What are the most common problems with municipal animal control shelters causing overcrowding and so many unnecessary deaths? Thirteen is an unlucky number... here are the 13 biggest obstacles in trying to reform your local municipal animal shelter.

Identified Problem: Everyone is harmed when an overcrowded, obsolete shelter systems resort to euthanizing adoptable pets. We are no longer in the 1970’s. Modern management systems should be implemented, and better infrastructure should be funded.

Identified Problem: Lack of transparency. Can you get a line item budget for all expenses for the past 5 years? How about all statistics regarding all medical treatments, outcomes, etc.? Employee salary information? Lawsuit settlement details? Procedural manuals? For municipal shelters run by non-profits, they are also not accountable to the public and can develop the same indifference to saving lives and be more focused on fundraising, employee perks, and fancy facilities and bypass the necessary disclosures to prove they are doing a good job. 

Identified Problem: Government cannot and should not be doing business in the free market of pet adoptions. Animal care and controls should be contracted out and services distributed to non-profit rescues, with government oversight. Government employees are not motivated to properly implement animal care and control and have a different metric for what is considered success. 

Identified Problem: Old ways of management. Typical management tends to weed out the innovators over time and keep the drones. As a result, good people and good ideas no longer bubble up to the top.

Identified Problem: Wrong Mission. Read the mission and vision statements, if any, of your local shelter. Is the focus on saving lives? And are those statements backed up by congruent actions and funding?

Identified Problem: Best practices have never been adopted, and there has never been a sustained employee, rescue, or volunteer training program in place. Few shelters adhere to generally accepted best practices. Does your team have a top notch behavior modification, enrichment, and pet evaluation team in place? Does your team know how to turn around aggressive, fearful, and unruly pets to make them adoptable? Does your shelter offer expert advice on house training, basic manners, pet introductions, basic pet care, and early puppy socialization classes?

Identified Problem: Animal care and control is not a significant priority, but more of a nuisance duty for whatever entity funds the operations. 

Identified Problem: Physical and virtual systems are obsolete. Large municipal shelters are dinosaurs, should be bulldozed and replaced by distributed satellite shelters throughout the community. Software and web-based systems are obsolete. 

Identified Problem: A lack of community outreach. Management spends too much time behind their desks and don’t go, personally, weekly, into the field the way good leaders should. They are out of touch with the communities that need the most help. 

Identified Problem: No long-term economic planning. How many shelters build up a rainy-day fund to prepare for economic downturns? None

Identified Problem: Municipal shelters compete with local non-profit rescues and put them out of business. Ten percent of rescued pets should be processed by animal care and control, the remainder should be processed by local non-profit rescues. The local rescues should be empowered to keep pets out of the municipal shelters, and most dogs waiting for a new home should be in foster care, not these big animal prisons that tend to be built.

Identified Problem: Spending and population goes UP, but actual performance goes DOWN. Why is this acceptable?

Identified Problem: No independent performance audits, thus, no accountability. The last thing any entity wants is a performance audit, especially if they are not doing a good job. Only through accountability can problems be anticipated, identified, addressed, and funded. Try proposing performance audits for your local shelter system and see how that is received. All shelters should be required to submit to an ongoing independent performance auditing. Rescues should be spending their time saving pets lives, not feeling the need to engage in rescue politics because shelters cover up their negligence and incompetence. Good, dedicated rescue volunteers and employees get tired of the lying, excuses, and stonewalling: they burn out and quit. 

In the end, I’ll send you the following: Good Luck. It is hard to fight the system and you will find parasitical forces that will undermine your reform efforts because those opposing you benefit from the status quo. They will claim they are in the business of animal welfare, but you’ll find out, when decisions are to be made, they care more about their jobs, perks, manufactured public recognition, and other benefits than saving lives.

Should You Spay Or Neuter Your Dog?

The effects of spaying and neutering dogs are variable. But are the outcomes acceptable from a health, behavior and welfare standpoint? What does the current research say? Earlier studies were used to justify surgical interventions, but those studies had methodological shortcomings and inadequate sample sizes. Politics have also confounded the public’s understanding since there has been a long standing dispute with the animal rights community over private ownership of domesticated animals of any type, and thus we have been told fantastical stories to justify the potential elimination of pets and livestock. Many studies have been hampered by very small sample sizes, and are often the results of surveys which can lack objectivity. The latest studies have been better constructed to help guide owners and veterinarians. Let’s take a glance at the current thinking. 

You’re Turning Your Dog Into A Robot

Years ago, I was working with a new student. A few days prior, we had completed a first lesson with her puppy. We were using treats and using luring to establish beginning word associations for Sit, Down, Come and Heel. Pretty standard stuff. She was at a quiet park, as I recommended, doing her homework. Along came some woman in a car who pulled over, went over to my student, and made a big scene, saying “You’re turning your dog into a robot!” My student contacted me afterwards quite upset and almost in tears. I had to reassure her she wasn’t doing anything wrong, and this busybody was out of line and goofy. Over time, we finished the training of her dog, and everything turned out well. So, what’s with this “robot” stuff people are referring to?

Purely Positive Dog Training?

What is my main complaint about PP (Purely Positive dog) training theory? Of all the famous trainers I have followed, they don’t truly have trained dogs. They are just tolerating, managing, or blocking undesired behaviors. That means they can’t train your dogs to live in their Promised Land: your dog will not be under verbal control, off leash, at a distance, around strong distractions. Would you consider a finished dog out of their program (and everyone has a different label for it: basic, intermediate, advanced, titled, certified) to have the essential abilities?