Dog Fates After Owner Arrest?

The dog’s whereabouts were also unknown after it ran off during the suspect’s detainment.

One type of unnamed victim of an arrest is the dog that is left behind. In this story, the dog ran away after the suspect was taken into custody. A similar type of problem is the dog left behind after a medical emergency. 911 shows up, the person is taken away in an ambulance, and the dog is left behind. 

For the dog, these situations are going to be very traumatic. The dog has witnessed something bad and that is going to most likely traumatize that dog.

I had a student that had a a medical emergency like this. When he finally came home, the dog was now very suspicious of strangers in the home. Prior to that event, the dog was a happy go lucky pit bull. 

I don’t have any practical tips for first responders regarding the dogs. Maybe there should be rescue groups which are contacted to check up on the dog? Or in this case, to see if the dog returns and can be captured and fostered. 

Dogs And Troubled Relationships

More than a few times, I've consulted with a dog owner that is getting demands that they get rid of their dog. And many times, the problem is that the owner is in a troubled relationship with someone they live with. 

 

I spoke with someone several years ago with this exact problem. His dogs were fighting because he was fighting (arguing) with his live-in girlfriend and her daughters. They would do things around his dogs that would stimulate two of the dogs into fights. It was a troubled home. They vented a lot of this by blaming his dogs. It wasn’t the dogs; it was his troubled relationships. They wanted him to put the down or get rid of them. He told me he had considered ending his life over it. Yeah, it was that bad. I told him it wasn’t his job to make other people happy, and especially not doing it by harming himself or his dogs. I told him that I’d dump the girlfriend and keep the dogs. He did, and the problems went away and so did the dog fights. 

 

My advice: stay away from troubled people. You can’t fix them. They are going to be bad for you and for your dogs. There are a lot of unhinged people in this world, but that isn’t everyone. Find the good ones and dump the neurotic ones. 

** Sometimes the problem is the owner, and sometimes the problem is the dogs, but that isn't what this article is about. More about this other stuff later.

Hurricane Update: Dog Tied To Tree Rescued

This poor dog was tied to a tree... 

Protecting Animals During A Hurricane Disaster

As Milton approaches Florida, animals at zoos and aquariums are being protected, including this giraffe that was moved to a barn at ZooTampa that is rated to withstand hurricane-force winds.

If you have animals, and especially if you have a lot of them, you need a pre-planned disaster plan. I would bet most animal shelters lack any such planning. 

DOG PPL Canine Social Club: Members-only Canine Club

Members-only canine club coming to NYC touts DJs, cocktails and could cost $1,400 a year — right next to a free dog park

 OK. That might be good. Maybe not. This kind of environment might end up being too stressful for the dogs. We ask a lot of dogs these days, this might be stress on steroids for many dogs. 

 

If I ever visit one, I’ll give you my verdict. For now, I’m agnostic on the concept… 

Drew Barrymore and Dave Bautista Volunteer With ASPCA

The celebrity rescue dog parents have teamed up with the ASPCA to help rescue pups find homes through social media

 I wish more celebrities would do efforts like this. It is difficult, however, to get past the celebrity gatekeepers to ask them if they would like to help out with this or that charity or charity event. Usually you get back… nothing. Silence. 

 

I’d have more respect for them for these kinds of efforts rather than popping up near elections and hearing them speak out pre-prepared scripts advocating for this or that candidate or issue. 

Follow Up: Dog Attacks 1 Year Old Child

So here is the follow up to the story about the dogs that attacked the 1-year-old child, Jiryiah Johnson. 

As a warning: everyone is innocent until proven guilty; these articles are allegedly telling the whole truth clearly about the situation, or a re-reading of the articles might reveal more details, so that’s all we must go on so far; you will need to dig, do your own homework, and verify what you find if you want even more details and perspective. If you want facts, then talk to the parties involved. The child is now dead. It is not your job to pile on and somehow make the situation worse.

Here’s my preliminary perspective from the linked articles and the previous articles I've read:

1. The dogs were aggressive in some way. A previous article stated that the dogs had been somehow deemed, prior to this incident, as being dangerous by the authorities

2. The owner of the dogs, the 36-year-old babysitter, knew or suspected the dogs had behavioral problems, or there was some other reason to want the dogs kept separate from the 1-year-old child

3. The child’s mother either knew the dogs had behavioral problems or didn’t know. The linked articles seem to conflict. The first article seems to indicate there was some kind of understanding, and the second article seems to indicate the opposite. 

4. There was some kind of attempt to keep the dogs the dogs away, maybe locked, from the child

5. The 36-year-old babysitter was called into work, and the child was left in the care of her 13-year-old daughter

6. The dogs were being kept in a bedroom

7. Somehow the dogs got out of the bedroom, and there might be indications the dogs had either gotten out of that bedroom before or during the incident

8. Once the dogs got out of the bedroom, they attacked the child and 13-year-old. 

9. The 13-year-old fought with the dogs for several minutes, and was chased around the home by the dogs as she tried to escape with the child in her arms

10. The 36-year-old babysitter “faces felony charges of causing serious bodily injury to a child by omission.” There might be additional charges related to the injury(ies) to the 13-year-old daughter. These are grave charges.

LINKED ARTICLES

1. Mother of baby boy mauled to death by dogs opens up about attack

2. BCSO Sheriff says 1-year-old killed by dogs left alone with 13-year-old

MY THOUGHTS:

1. My sisters babysat kids at 13 years of age with no problem. I don’t think it is unreasonable for a 13-year-old to babysit a 1-year-old child.

2. There should be a clear understanding between a parent and a babysitter regarding the care of the child, and what to do if something unexpected crops up

3. Parents should interview anyone who is about to babysit their kids, including meeting anyone who would be in the home other than the babysitter who might do any of the babysitting. This could have instead resulted in a dog on dog tragedy, if these dogs had issues with other dogs and this was a dog housesitting situation instead of a child babysitting situation. I believe a lot of the ideas I have on this would seem to apply to that type of situation, as well.

4. Just like I do with a home where someone is going to house sit a dog, parents should do a walk through with the babysitter, indoors and out, to see the condition of the premises.

5. Babysitters should do an introduction of their pets with the owner and owner’s kids. If that can’t be successfully accomplished, I think that should disqualify that babysitter and the parents need to find someone else. 

5. If the parents can’t find an acceptable babysitter, then don’t go to work or leave the kids there. 

6. Know your dogs. Or test them in some way, if possible, but realize that sometimes tests fail to predict the future. If you own dogs with behavioral problems, especially if there are known aggression problems, then board the dogs off premises or don’t do any babysitting at your home. If the owner has dogs that have behavioral problems, especially if there are known aggression problems, then don’t agree to babysit the kids at their home, either. These dogs were put away in a bedroom for some reason.

7. From what I’m perceiving, I’m guessing that if these dogs had gotten out, and the 36-year-old babysitter had never left the premises, the dogs still might have attacked the child, and the adult babysitter would have been just as injured as the 13-year-old daughter. 

8. Some dogs can break through or open normal bedroom doors. Typical suburban home doors aren’t designed to hold back a group of powerful and determined dogs, even if they start out in good condition. So, you need a proper kennel for some dogs. Some dogs can even break out of a normal kennel.

9. You are in for a major fight whenever you are dealing with a dog that wants to attack. Even your own dogs can turn on you if you are in the middle of it all. Dogs are extremely powerful when in a fight mode, and it takes a lot of force to stop them if you can’t get away. Also, in a fight like this, you aren’t going to be thinking very clearly. It isn’t fair to Monday Morning Quarterback this story and claim you know what you would have done. Your plan might have not worked either. 

10. My belief is that the only thing that would have worked here would have been to not leave the child at this location under these circumstances. I don’t see indications that anyone had bad intentions. 

11. The dogs should be put down. I would not attempt to rehome them. Some people would advocate the dogs going to a sanctuary. I wouldn’t do that. 

12. This is now a criminal case, and nothing is going to stop the wheels of justice from rolling now. 

More information is probably going to come out, and my thoughts and recommendations will probably change as a result. This isn't a fact finding article, but my walkthrough of what I'm seeing in these stories. This is a tragedy, and the purpose of reporting this is a way of informing others about how I look at something like this and how I process preventative measures someone might take in similar circumstances. Others might process this information differently and come to different views and recommendations. But, even if any of my suggestions, or any one else's suggestions, had been taken prior to this tragedy, it might still have occurred in a similar way. No way to know, we can't turn back the clock.

Dog With Cancer Bites Owner

Korinne Mortensen of Salt Lake City, Utah, was relaxing with her dog Niko in November 2022 when suddenly he lunged at her and mauled her face.

Many years ago, I had a student with a black Lab puppy. One day, she called the dog to come back into the house from the back yard, but the dog just laid there in the grass. Thinking her dog was being stubborn, she reached for his collar to get him going. He attacked her and tore up her arm.

Her neighbor was a "German Shepherd trainer", whatever that means. He told her if one of his dogs had done that, he would have beaten the hell out of that dog. 

She contacted me. After evaluating the dog and situation, I told her something was wrong, and I recommended she take the dog to the vet for an exam. Sure enough, the dog had cancer. 

Not all aggression is a behavioral problem.

One Year Old Child Attacked By Dog

"Unfortunately, we were made aware, while we were here on scene, that this is not the first time something like this has happened. My understanding is that...there has been a dog attack episode at this residence here before. My understanding is that the owner was cited at that time, and...the dogs have actually been deemed dangerous animals," Salazar said.

 

We don’t have the full story in this article. I can’t re-create the scenario, so this is a developing story. But, here are my initial reactions.

 

First, a 1-year-old isn’t going to do too well if attacked by a dog. Horrible. The indications to me from reading other articles makes me think that the situation is grave.

 

I wonder why the dogs targeted the infant. More information is needed to draw any educated guesses. I don’t recommend people piling on here and making the situation worse. The situation is already about as bad as it can get. I don’t know what advice I would have given to these folks before, during, or after this incident. This post is about what you can do if you own a dog. 

 

Second, there is reportedly some kind of history here with the owner of the dogs allegedly being cited for having “dangerous” dogs and being aware of some kind of previous attack. Oh, boy. The law isn’t going to be very forgiving if this is a second incident, and especially with a child involved and if any negligence is discovered. 

 

The article says the dogs were some kind of pit bull mixes. I don’t think that is as relevant as to how the dogs were being managed. 

 

Sometimes the best option when you have dogs that are deemed to be dangerous, is to at least rehome the dogs. Sometimes the best option is euthanasia before something worse happens. 

 

But be aware: Just like parents are starting to be charged with crimes if their kid gets their gun and they know the kid is troubled, the law seems to be going that way with respect to dogs and kids. Hopefully that trend decreases the risk of these types of tragedies and increases the demand for properly bred dogs, more education about socialization by veterinarians, and people accepting that their dogs need more training and supervision. In my opinion, most people don't train their dogs sufficiently, regardless of breed or situation. The demands of life with a dog are greater today than ever before. We are making a lot of demands on dogs these days, and more attention needs to be paid to everything, from birth to old age. More laws aren't the primary solution here. 

 

My rule is always: People safety first, dog safety second. I don’t care how much you love your dog; the priority needs to be for the people first. I don’t know the thinking of this owner. I can’t read minds. I’m just saying that it is important for dog owners to have that sorted out in their heads before ever even getting a dog.

 

AZ Needs Better Emergency Animal Welfare Response Laws And Follow Through

“We've had many instances where we've called the police and the Arizona Humane,” Hoffman said. “They'll come out and they'll assess the situation, and they leave. And the animal stays in the horrific situation.”

 

AZ needs to empower and fund better emergency and abuse response for animals in distress and abuse situations. This has been a known problem for a long time. This requires new laws, more funding, and a reorganization of those who should be empowered to do the investigations, rescue, seizures of distressed animals, transport, communications, medical care, and public relations. 

 

I recommend contacting State Senator John Kavanagh, (R) District, office. He has been a consistent animal welfare champion, and has “previously gotten animal protection laws passed, and he plans to bring more to the next legislative session.” Legislators need public support to see proposed legislation become law. Write or call his office and offer your support.

Black Friday Puppies And Dogs

Every year, after Thanksgiving, we have the Black Friday sales. Consumers have wads of cash, and they are ready to spend. A lot of these purchases are in anticipation of Christmas. There will be a LOT of great pets to choose from... (MORE)

Wolf hybrids Seized: Animal Cruelty Investigation

Ten wolf hybrid canines seized during an animal cruelty investigation in Aguanga this summer were bound for an exotic pet shelter in Arizona on Friday, Oct. 4 for permanent placement, sparing them from euthanasia.

 

I don’t see the allure of owning a wolf hybrid. Domesticated pets are selectively bred to live peaceably in human environments. Wild animals can’t take the stresses and have amplified survival needs that don’t mesh as well as domesticated pets.

 

I also wouldn’t demand a wolf hybrid to be euthanized by law. If the animal is well managed, then I don’t see the harm. I agree with one of the statements in the article: “The big problem is that they are too ‘wolfy’ to be a pet and they’re not ‘wolfy’ enough to be in a commercial facility, such as a zoo.”

 

There are animals that are dangerous, very dangerous, to have as pets. Such as chimpanzees. Nope, don’t want one of those. 

 

I hope the fates of these wolf hybrids is good. It is difficult enough to rescue and rehome pet dogs, it is even harder for wolf hybrids.

More People Own Dogs Than Ever Before

"The dog today is not the dog of 10 years ago," Bobby Boivin, the co-owner of Boo's Dog Bar in Sarasota, Florida, said. "The dog today is literally a child in the family. It is a family member. And well, when people go out to dinner, they want to bring the whole family with them."

The demand on pets is higher today than ever before. Since I meet directly with families on a regular basis, I can confirm that people love their dogs like family. They also have increased needs and expectations of their dogs. I’ve had to develop numerous solutions for a wide variety of issues that weren’t as much of a consideration 20 years ago.

More people plan on taking their dogs on vacations, hikes, road trips. More people are contemplating and doing therapy dog volunteering. The only difference I’ve seen lately is that people are having fewer guests since the lockdowns. People seem to have fewer friends now, so their dogs are taking a larger role in their social circles. The big downside is the dysfunctional municipal animal control system nationwide. It is still operating from the same model they have used for 50 or more years, and they are warehousing and traumatizing more pets than ever before. For people who are looking for a family member, they find these places to be repugnant, insincere, inefficient, obsolete, smelly, loud, oftentimes rude, and disgusting. Is there any government program that runs efficiently? Government should not be in the animal rescue business. More on that later... 

With all of that, people are still in the dark as to good ways to manage and train their dogs. A lot of old wives’ tales exist, people still react emotionally to dogs, and people often focus more on how they feel rather than how their dogs are doing. It is hard to cut through all the chatter on the internet to find out what is really going on with a dog and to get good coaching to solve problems effectively and humanely. 

Dog Derangement

According to the Google AI, “derangement’ is defined as: A state of being unable to think clearly or act in a controlled way, especially due to mental illness.

Some people can become quite ugly. I think we have all known people who have gone over to the Dark Side, into irrational anger and actions, over something or some issue. I generally believe this is either their temperament, or the fallout of some other stress that redirects towards another target.

If you have owned a dog long enough, you will encounter instances of, what I refer to as, Dog Derangement. 

An example. In the UK, they have banned several dog breeds. The latest is the XL Bully. Instead of focusing on responsible dog ownership, they banned this new breed. Do you think that this will reduce dog bite instances in the UK? It won’t. Dog bans have never worked. People will just switch to another breed or create a new one. The emotional overreaction and illogical response only harm innocent animals, it doesn't fix the problem.

Or you might see it while innocently taking your dog for a walk. What a pleasure it is for some random stranger to run up to you, pointing their bony finger in your face, because you dared to walk your friendly puppy in public. I’ve experienced that. 

Or the goofy relative with a chip on their shoulder who thinks they need to teach your dog a lesson. Or the neighbor who decides to make your dog’s life miserable. 

Dog ownership is quite the adventure. It should be fun, but it does have risks. Avoid those afflicted with Dog Derangement, and train accordingly.

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)