Archive for the ‘Dog Behavior’ Category

I “Stumbled Upon” this blog post on Wag Reflex and thought it was a nice reminder that our dogs are not human and do not deliberately misbehave:

Ten Things Every Dog Owner Should Know

by Bark Busters on September 23, 2008

1. A dog is a dog.
Some people assume their dogs communicate the same way that humans do and, therefore, they try to communicate with dogs the way they would with another person. This is the greatest misconception of many dog owners. Although domesticated for thousands of years, dogs in the wild have always lived in packs. Today, dogs live by the same rules and exhibit many of the same behavioral patterns as their wild ancestors. Therefore, as dog owners, you need to realize dogs have different needs; to effectively train your dog, you must first understand its instinctual pack behavior.

2. All dogs think in terms of the pack.
In the wild, dogs have always lived in packs. They instinctively know that living with others, under the leadership of a dominant member of the pack, enhances their chances for survival. Therefore, pack animals not only want to live with others, but they also are content having leaders who are strong, consistent and fair. As a dog owner, one of your responsibilities is to learn and model these characteristics so that you will be accepted as the pack leader. Thus, your dog will learn to respect and obey you.

3. Dogs don’t understand English.
To believe your dog fully understands human-based communications is as unreasonable as thinking you know everything your dog is trying to say when it barks. A dog’s communication is limited primarily to barking, growling and other guttural sounds, and they also rely heavily on body language. By understanding how dogs communicate, you will avoid the mistake of telling your dog one thing while your body language and voice sound tells it something completely different.

4. Dogs are not spiteful.
Dog owners often say, “My dog chewed the furniture because I left him home alone.” There are a number of reasons why dogs misbehave, but spite is not one of them. Although many people want to believe that dogs think like humans, dogs do not. They have only two sections to their brain and, therefore, have limited ability to reason. Thus, they cannot disobey out of spite. Knowing the real reasons why dogs misbehave requires understanding how they think and learn. Dogs react in a way that makes sense in their environment. When a dog disobeys, it is usually for one of three reasons: 1) it does not understand what you want, 2) it does not consider you its leader, or 3) it is suffering from some kind of stress or fear. By understanding the true nature of dogs, you will be better prepared to diagnose problems or behaviors of your dog.

5. What makes some dogs aggressive?
One of our favorite sayings is, “You can take the dog out of the wild, but you cannot take the wild out of the dog.” This means simply that the dog’s natural instincts are never far below the surface. Sometimes this behavior manifests itself as aggression because a dog will do only what its natural instincts tell it to do unless trained otherwise. The most common cause of aggression is fear of the unknown, that is, whatever the dog cannot understand or does not recognize as normal. A dog’s response to fear is instinctual. When a dog becomes frightened, it will do one of two things: fight or take flight. One breed of dog is not necessarily more aggressive than any other. The diminutive Chihuahua can be just as aggressive as the larger German shepherd. The only real difference is the amount of fear we perceive based on a dog’s size and its ability to cause harm. As dog owners, one of our responsibilities is to condition our dog daily to reinforce dominance (leadership) over the dog. Leadership increases our ability to control and teach our dogs what is and is not acceptable.

6. Body language is the dog’s primary mode of communication.
Dogs rely heavily on body language to communicate, and a person’s body language can easily be misinterpreted. If a dog jumps on you and you respond by pushing it down with both hands, the dog may think you want to play, in much the same way it would play with other dogs. When people greet a dog, they often do not consider whether or not the dog actually wants to meet the person.

7. You can teach an old dog new tricks.
Although we cannot teach dogs to reason, we can teach them to “think.” Dogs are continuous learners and have good memories. The three things that primarily influence a dog’s behavior are association, instinct and experience. Dogs recall information with associative stimuli, such as similar situations. People cannot explain to a dog—as they would to a child—not to eat food off the floor. The only way for a dog to learn that lesson is for the owner to correct it immediately using voice sounds and body language as soon as the dogs tries to eat the food. By conditioning your dog and effectively showing it what you consider good and bad behavior, you can help any dog change its behavior.

8. Bad behaviors may be natural, but they do not have to be normal.
Most people consider digging, chewing and jumping as unacceptable dog behavior. To dogs, however, these are natural actions. Dogs will do what their instinct tells them unless otherwise trained. To teach a dog what behaviors are and are not acceptable, a dog owner must leverage a dog’s association and experience to directly impact how it behaves. A dog owner needs to associate a dog’s bad behavior with a bad experience, such as a harsh voice tone, and good behavior with a good experience, such as high-pitched praise. In this way, a dog will learn what is acceptable behavior.

9. What is the right way to discipline a dog?
Since dogs cannot reason like humans, they are not deliberately naughty, despite what many people might think. Instead, their behavior is always determined by either instinct or experience. A dog will do only what comes naturally or what it has learned through association; therefore, it is not productive (or even logical) for humans to get angry with a dog. Moreover, physical force is both inappropriate and counterproductive. This includes using your hands for correcting. Since dogs do not have hands, they find that form of discipline to be provocative and threatening. For this reason, dog owners should use their hands as little as possible when training, and when you do, dogs must always associate your hands with gentleness and pleasure. Because dogs learn from association, they will comprehend your message only if it is delivered in a timely manner. A correction must be issued at the precise moment the dog is either contemplating or actually doing something wrong. Sometimes it may be difficult to catch your dog in the act, but you can create situations that will cause a dog to misbehave and then correct it on the spot.

10. Do dogs sense the world differently than humans?
Dogs experience the world nose first. Smell is the most dramatic sensory difference between humans and dogs. Dogs have about 25 times more olfactory (smell) receptors than humans do and can sense odors at concentrations nearly 100 million times lower than humans can. A dog’s sense of smell is also closely linked to taste. A dog is so scent sensitive, it is usually the smell not the taste that will cause a dog to reject food before it even enters its mouth. In contrast, humans have 5 times more tastes as dogs and tend to taste something before deciding if they like it. Also, a dog’s eye lacks certain components found in a human eye. As such, dogs see the world in shades of black, white and gray and have better night vision. Visual acuity also varies by breed. Due to the positioning of their eyes, short-nosed dogs can see things in the distance with more depth perception than longer-nosed breeds. Hearing is also acutely developed in dogs. The distance from which it can hear things is 4 times farther than a human. Dogs’ hearing is also selective: they can sleep beside a blaring TV but wake up as soon as they hear something not related to the TV sound. Dogs process only what they want to hear.

–Connie DuBois, Bark Busters

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Connie DuBois is a dog behavioral therapist and trainer for Bark Busters Home Dog Training and a regular contributor to Wag Reflex.

“In dog training, jerk is a noun, not a verb.” ~Dr. Dennis Fetko

As a professional pet sitter and dog walker, I run across quite a lot of dogs who pull as hard as they can when we go for walks. I don’t enjoy walks when being pulled (even when it’s a small dog), and I honestly think the dogs get a lot more out of a controlled walk than just going dog wild (haha). A walk should be enjoyable for all parties involved, and it’s possible with the right tools and understanding of the dog or dogs that are being walked.

What will work for one dog doesn’t  necessarily work for another. You should never put any sort of tightening collar on dogs like shih tzus, as you can cause a lot of permanent and painful damage to their trachea. In fact, any tightening collars (martingales, chain choke collars, pinch collars, etc), need to stay off of the mid-throat area, and stay under the chin and close to the ears. This gives the walker more control over the head of the dog, and keeps the excited dog from choking himself on the collar and causing throat damage.

There are so many choices of harnesses, collars and other tools that you can choose from, the list goes on and on. Listed below are some of the tools that I have used or have seen being used. If you have any experiences, good or bad, with any of these or have something to add, please leave a comment.

Cesar Millan’s (The Dog Whisperer) Illusion Collar- This collar just arrived at our home yesterday and we tried it out on Josie, our golden retriever/shepherd mix who is “in training.” She does pretty well on walks for a lot of the time, but when we first set out to walk, she likes to pull. If she sees another dog, or sometimes a kid, she jumps around and goes nuts! This collar seems to be working very well. I’m in total control while walking her (along my other two dogs on their leashes), she walks right beside me, and there is no worry that the collar is hurting her neck. Below is a picture of her wearing the collar.

The Illusion collar isn’t for everyone. Here is the warning on Cesar’s website:

WARNING: If your dog’s neck measures less than 13 inches at the base, or your dog weighs less than 18 lbs, you should NOT use the collar. The Illusion collar is not intended for puppies under one year of age. Dogs with any breathing problems, such as “pushed-in faces” that restrict breathing; dogs with trachea or throat problems, such as Pomeranians; and dogs with elongated, overly slender necks, such as Greyhounds, should NOT use the collar. Consult your local professional for further advice.

The Gentle Leader- When we fostered a very rambunctious wire haired terrier mix named Dixon, we knew immediately that he had issues on the leash. He was out of control, jumping every where, biting at the leash and our legs, trying to get anything that moved….we needed some help! We tried a regular harness and a slip lead, but neither really helped. The only way we got him even halfway under control was the Gentle Leader. This is a collar that goes around the actual head of the dog and loops around their mouths, and the leash attaches under the chin on a loop. Sounds uncomfortable, and it does take some dogs longer than others to get used to it, but it helped us teach Dixon what we wanted him to do. I don’t have a picture of Dixon on his Gentle Leader, but I found a random picture to share.

Here is what the Gentle Leader website says about the head collar:

Millions of dog owners today enjoy the benefits of stress-free walks thanks to the Gentle Leader Headcollar. Designed so that owners can communicate with their pet in a way they instinctively understand, the Gentle Leader painlessly and effectively removes the dog’s natural tendency to pull by placing gentle pressure on calming points and eliminating uncomfortable pressure on the throat. In addition to reducing a dog’s desire to pull away, the Gentle Leader is also a very effective tool in combating lunging, jumping, excessive barking and helping to calm an aggressive and/or anxious animal.

Easy Walk Harness- I don’t have much experience with these harnesses, but I’ve seen them work with other people walking their dogs. When the dog tries to pull, this harness makes them feel like they’re turning back around, so they stop pulling to stop themselves from turning. Here’s what the Easy Walk Harness says about their harnesses:

Traditional harnesses can actually encourage dogs to pull harder because of the “opposition reflex.”  That’s the reflex that makes sled dogs do what they do. The Easy Walk Harness’ unique front-chest leash attachment stops pulling by tightening slightly across your dog’s chest and shoulder blades. The gentle pressure steers your dog to the side and redirecting his attention back towards you. The Easy Walk Harness never causes coughing, gagging, or choking because the chest strap rests low across the breastbone, not on the delicate tracheal area.

These are just three of the many tools to choose from. I don’t choose to talk about pinch or prong collars or choke chain collars, but they are an option out there for the right dog, if and only if they are used in the correct way. Never yank or pull your dog by the neck, or really at all. There are always positive things that you can do to train your dog. Remember that food is the way to a lot of dogs’ hearts. Feed them a little less at meals if you use treats for training (so they don’t get overweight), and while training give them a delicious treat that they only get at training times. Cooked chicken or little bits of hot dog always work well for me.

Your dog wants to please you, his master, but we need to try to understand that the dog is a DOG trying to live in the human world. With patience and understanding, the sky is the limit for your dog. It’s in you to help your dog understand what you want. You just have to find your groove.

Always be a little kinder than necessary.  ~James M. Barrie

I read the story below, written by Josh Green, Staff Writer at Gwinnett Daily Post and it really warmed my heart. This makes me very proud to live in Gwinnett County, as this is the first time a program like this has been supported in the state, and possibly in the country. Sheriff  Butch Conway, you deserve a medal for this one.

Dogs and humans have a special bond that I would never want to live without. I know that being around animals can soften a person, I’ve seen it a thousand times! How many of you have seen a big guy with a little dog talking sweetly and in a funny voice? Or a “macho” guy walking down the road with his big, fierce looking Rottweiler and stopping to check the dog’s paw because he thought he had noticed the dog limping. This story from the Gwinnett Daily Post is a fine example of what can happen when you get dogs and humans together and I hope it gives you a smile.

A second chance: Saved from being euthanized, inmate-trained dogs ready for adoption

LAWRENCEVILLE — Josh Terza, a tatted-up Woodstock man with a stocky build and vice-grip handshake, was sentenced recently to five years in Georgia prisons for trafficking methamphetamine. But that’s not his chief concern today. Doggie jealousy is.

Locked up in Gwinnett County Jail since April, the doldrums of confinement were weighing on Terza until he was paired with “Mick” — a 1-year-old Catahoula-Aussie mix with a salt-and-pepper face, a frenzied feather of a tail and a tipsy disposition.

They hit it off. The inner dog-trainer in Terza came out. But once Mick’s tendency to jump on laps and yap at everything subsided, Terza had to take his skills elsewhere. This time to “Ramses,” a full-blooded German shepherd named for the peace-loving Egyptian ruler.

A dog-inmate-dog triangle emerged.

“You get emotionally attached,” Terza, 30, explained Friday in a jail yard, feeding Mick “good dog” treats from a pouch wrapped around his jail jumpsuit. “I feel like I’m cheating on my dog.”

The first round of the life-saving experience that is Operation Second Chance, in the estimation of those close to it, has been a success. Experts have deemed the first five animals led through the inmate-training program — Mick and pals that include Chow, Labrador and Anatolian mixes — ready for adoption.

Each dog was scheduled to be euthanized weeks ago.

Instead, the animals have endured a sort of doggie boot camp behind bars, sleeping in cages near their inmate handlers and undergoing constant training. Leaders say the program is a win-win on all fronts, in that it literally saves the animals from death while giving inmates purpose and — perhaps — viable job training for their life on the other side.

James Wilson, a housing unit deputy, said he’s noticed a “kinder, more patient” attitude among the 28 inmates chosen from 100 applicants to reside in the dog unit. Inmates accused of violent or sex crimes are weeded out in a screening process.

“In regular pods, (the inmates) like to play games,” Wilson said. “In this pod, they actually police each other” in fear they’ll loose the privilege to stick around, he said.

Only 11 fortunate pooches can be trained at one time. The sooner those are adopted, the quicker more in the Gwinnett County Animal Control euthanasia line can be cycled in, said Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman Stacey Bourbonnais.

It’s the first jail program of its kind in Georgia — and likely the country, she said.

Professional trainers with Twelve Paws Canine Academy in Lawrenceville make volunteer visits to instruct inmates on proper training, even doling out “homework” assignments.

Adopted dogs come with built-in training worth about $1,500, said trainer Michael Louviere.

“They’re really getting the same social skills they’d be getting in a home setting,” he said.

The brainchild of dog lover Sheriff Butch Conway, the program is supported by the Society of Humane Friends of Georgia, who provide all necessary care, training, food and veterinary services for the dogs. Leaders stress that the cost to taxpayers is nil.

Society president Dennis Kronenfeld said adoption applicants are subject to a screening process that includes home visits. Candidates will be able to preview the dogs at the jail or area pet retailers, he said.

As for Terza, he hopes to be released in December, with credit for time served. He’s mulling the idea of printing up some business cards, maybe marketing his dog-training skills to pet care chains like PetSmart.

For now, his four-legged compadres are a substitute for his family, he said.

“I got two kids I ain’t been able to hug for a year,” he said. “This brings you joy.”

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole. -Roger Caras

Being a professional pet sitter in Gwinnett County, GA, I want to learn everything that I can possibly learn about every breed of pet that I may encounter. The other day, my friend Cynthia Block of Cynsationally Yours (beautiful, personalized gifts and more) and I were meeting so that I could pick up a gift that she made for my Mom. While we were enjoying our coffees, she told me that her Basset Hound, Herkimer was right down the street at the groomer. Well, I’ve been waiting to meet him, so I just had to go with her to pick him up! He is everything that is dreamy about a Basset and more! I got the idea about doing a series of blogs about different breeds of pets from Herkimer, so he is the star of this blog. The sites that I got the information from are Your Pure Bred Puppy , Ammidan and Dog Breed Info.

Basset Hounds

History and Hunting

Basset Hounds are a direct descendant of the Bloodhound and a very old breed. The Basset’s popularity began in Paris in 1863 when they were first presented at a dog show. The American Kennel Club recognized this long-eared darling in 1885. The name Basset comes from the word “bas,” meaning “low.”

It has been suggested that they may have originated from genetic dwarf dogs born in litters of different types of hunting dogs. Bassets are able to hunt in packs or alone and they are also good at hunting in the open or in the den. They are used to hunt hare, fox, opposum and pheasant.

Personality and Training

Basset Hounds are one of the most easy going and friendly of all breeds. Almost any Basset that you meet is going to be good-natured, outgoing, warm and peaceful with everyone- strangers, other pets, kids- name it! They are sweet, devoted, and naturally well-behaved.

As friendly and happy-go-lucky as a Basset may be, they are not the easiest dogs to train. They can be very stubborn with compliant, lenient owners and need a firm, confident and consistent owner who displays natural authority over the dog. House training is one of the most difficult things to teach this breed, but with positive reinforcement and patient gentle training, anything can be accomplished.

Hard to train, but also very food motivated, keep in mind that tricks for treats is something that a Basset loves to do. Even using treats, you still may expect to see very slow, thought out, deliberate responses from him. Also remember that your Basset has a very strong and unique sense of smell. If they catch an interesting scent, the “Come” command goes in one big ear and out the other. When training or playing outside, keep your Basset either in a fenced area or on a leash or you may not see him again.

Exercise and General Health

Despite short legs, Bassets can weigh between 45-65 pounds. Their average life span is 10-12 years. They need a moderate amount of daily exercise, even if it seems they are perfectly happy snoring away on the couch. Overweight Bassets have concurrent health problems that can be very painful for them including aggravated arthritis, back problems, or heart trouble. Exercise is as important to your dog as it is for you. A long daily walk  (30 minutes or more) will be perfect to keep your dog mentally stable and a good healthy weight. Discourage any jumping or stress to the front legs and remember that Bassets are a hunting breed and it’s difficult to get their attention if they catch a scent they like. Keeping them on-leash or in a fence is crucial.

Bassets will run and play by the hour if allowed, but don’t leave them outside unattended. They tend to howl  when bored and the neighbors may call the cops on you. Also keep in mind that those short legs won’t prevent them from counter surfing, so keep any food or other items as far back on the counter as possible.

These dogs shed quite a lot and it never really stops. They are also prone to be gassy and have a distinct “houndy” odor that some people find offensive. I can’t help but love that “houndy” smell, but that’s probably just my dog addiction. Bassets are also predisposed to bone and joint problems, ear problems and skin diseases.

Bassets are apt  to otitis externa, (smelly yucky ears). This is easily prevented if ear cleaning is done regularly, such as when nails are clipped. Check with your veterinarian for an ear wash, or make a preventative cleaning mix of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% white vinegar. The Basset is also predisposed to Glaucoma.

Over feeding your Basset can cause too much weight on the legs and spine, leading to possible lameness and eventual paralysis. They are also prone to bloat, so feeding them 2 or 3 small meals instead of one large meal is highly recommended. If your Basset eats one big meal, keep an eye out for signs of bloat for the next few hours.~

So, what it comes down to is Bassets are family dogs with great dispositions, but can be very stubborn. If you have patience and you understand your dog’s breed and meet their exercise, diet and daily health care needs, you will have a wonderful family pet! If not, don’t blame the dog!

Here are a few Basset Hound rescues and resources that I found:

Basset Hound Rescue of Georgia

Basset Hound Rescue of Alabama

Carolina Basset Hound Rescue

Suncoast Basset Hound Rescue

Basset Hounds: Basset Hound Dog Forums

Wikipedia: Basset Hounds

“To be happy, use your nose.  Every day is rich in smells. … a cliche, sure, but if you got roses, smell ‘em.”
–dog quote by Trixie Koontz, dog, Life is Good! Lessons in Joyful Living, edited by Dean Koontz

We didn’t plan on adopting a new dog as quickly as we did after our sweet Sammie passed away. Ok, so I was definitely keeping an even sharper eye out for strays than I usually do, but that was really it.

I decided to write a blog on the rescue groups in our area. I was checking the links to make sure that they connected correctly. I started casually looking at all of the pictures and reading the little paragraphs that each rescue group puts down for each dog. That’s when I saw Josie (her name was Missy then)….I had to meet her.

My husband, Denny and I had a trip planned, so I contacted the rescue group, Georgia Humane Society, asked them a few questions about Missy/Josie, and told them that we wouldn’t be back in town until the next week, but that we would like to meet her.

Josie’s story before the rescue group liberated her is unclear. A kind soul from Georgia Humane pulled Josie out of  Carrollton Animal Control a while before we met her. We do know that she had survived a terrible virus, Parvovirus, that she had been adopted by someone who decided for one reason or the other to return her, and, she’s a happy-go-lucky dog who got along great with the other dogs in her foster mom’s home.

When we met Josie a week and a half later in Newnan, GA, she met Jake and Gizmo with puppy-ish excitement. Jake didn’t know what to think and Gizmo didn’t seem too happy either. She was extremely rambunctious, but we wanted to give her a chance. Jake tends to be stand-offish with new dogs and Gizmo is a bit bossy, so we couldn’t judge this on a first time meeting in a Petsmart parking lot!  We decided to “Foster to Adopt,” giving us the option of changing our minds if she didn’t fit in or if she wasn’t good with the cats.

Josie was great in the car, very calm. It’s about an hour drive, but we decided to stop at my sister’s house (Laura Fields of  BabySteps ) in Powder Springs to see how Josie does with our 5 and 3 year old nieces. She was super sweet with Maddie and Grace and got along fine with Laura’s elderly sheltie, Buddy (RIP, Buddy). Big score for Josie!

When we got her home, we followed the “rules” of introducing a new dog to your home for the first time. First of all, we took her, Jake and Gizmo on a nice, long walk. For more “rules” of introducing your new dog to your home, try this link: Dog Rescue Network.

After our walk, we brought Josie inside to see how she did with the cats and how her manners were. She was a little exuberant, but she’s practically a puppy (1.5 years old), and in a new situation. Our first mistake was leaving out all of the dog toys. We had a large container full of toys that Jake and Gizmo were allowed to play with at their will.

Everything was ok the first couple of days, but we noticed that Josie was giving Jake some pretty sketchy and sideways looks, especially around toys. Then, Gizmo was kind of throwing around a toy and Josie “jumped” on him. She didn’t bite him hard enough to make any marks, but it was loud and kind of scary. A few more incidents occured, mostly with Jake.  Josie could have all of the toys, and Jake would be playing with one. She would leave hers, run to Jake and bite his neck and grab the toy and take it to the rest of her toys. The last time this happened was about two months ago and it was over, get this, a pair of shorts. That’s when we started reading up and trying to figure out where we went wrong so we could fix it! We were starting to think that we may have adopted the wrong dog….we were completely off base.

We decided to pick up all toys and only let the dogs play with them when Denny or I had the time to be completely involved with their playtime. We haven’t had another incident, it was that simple. In fact, Josie, Jake and Gizmo play together like crazy maniacs (without toys) and not an issue has arisen. Josie’s progress was amazing and continues to be.

Here is a list of some of the books that we read to help us:

The Loved Dog, by Tamara Geller

It’s Me or the Dog, by Victoria Stilwell

Mine! A Practical Guide To Resource Guarding in Dogs, by Jean Donaldson

Be the Pack Leader, by Cesar Millan

The Dog Listener, by Jan Fennell

“It came to me that every time I lose a dog they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new dog who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be dog, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.” ~Unknown

There are tons of great resources to learn training tips, pet diet tips, read great stories, etc. I’ve decided to make a list of some of these sites that I enjoy visiting and reading on.

Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer’s official website:

http://www.cesarmillaninc.com

On Pet Web Site you will find information on dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hamsters, gerbils, and mice.

http://www.petwebsite.com/

Dog breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.dogster.com/

Dogster’s fantastic blog:

http://dogblog.dogster.com/

Cat breed, adoption, health and care information:

http://www.catster.com/

Catster’s fantastic blog:

http://blogs.catster.com/the-cats-meow-a-cat-and-kitten-blog/

Horses, horse care, horse riding and driving, and safety:

http://horses.about.com

A site dedicated to saving animals of all kinds. Click the purple button once a day to feed a pet in a shelter for free. Lots of great merchandise, all money goes to animal rescue:

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/

Pet adoption, great blog and lots of info:

http://www.petfinder.com/index.html

All about birds. How to choose the right breed of bird for a pet, health tips, etc:

http://birds.about.com

Victoria Stilwell of It’s Me or the Dog’s official website:

http://www.victoriastilwell.com/

Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen. A non-profit organization helping struggling pet owners with pet food cost:

http://www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com

Lifeline Animal Project, Atlanta’s LifeLine for Homeless Pets:

http://www.atlantapets.org

There are many more websites to choose from, these are just a few. Type any pet question that you may have in your search engine and you’d be surprised how much information you have to choose from. Personalize tips to fit your pet and your schedule and don’t be afraid to modify!

Animals are such agreeable friends. They ask no questions, they pass no criticisms. ~ George Elliot

I’ve come to find out in time that we control our environments very easily by mastering our thoughts. This has been proven to me over and over in the world of dogs.

Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, is the one who helped this truth become a reality in my life. He talks about “having a conversation in your head” when communicating with your dog what you want from her. Basically, you are telling your dog what you want from them by thinking it and also using your body language to show them that you are calm and that you mean business. This doesn’t mean to yell, threaten (aloud or with your body language, i.e. standing over them, pointing, waving hands, general frustration),  or to handle them roughly. By thinking and acting in a calm and assertive way what you want from your dog, you’ll be amazed at what happens. You will find a new confidence and pride in yourself and in your dog, while strengthening your bond with your dog at the same time.

Keeping relaxed and minding your body language is very important when communicating with your dog. Pay attention to the way you’re breathing, keep your shoulders relaxed and walk with a purpose. If you are frustrated with your dog, you must go somewhere else in your mind and let go of the frustration. That is an energy and feeling that dogs just don’t understand. Frustration comes across as imbalance in you to your dog, and he will challenge you for leadership if he senses that you are imbalanced.

I strongly suggest to any dog owner to read Cesar Millan’s books and practice his tips. The formula of exercise, discipline, then affection does work when you apply it consistently in your life with your pack.

Cesar Millan’s official website: http://www.cesarmillaninc.com

The most important thing that we have to provide every day is that we are the pack leader, that we set the rules, the boundaries and the limitations, and then we love. Most of the people, they go to get a dog because they need somebody to love. So they are going after what they need, not what the dog needs. And that, to me, creates instability immediately, and the dog sees the human as a soft energy. So they don’t follow the lovable leader or a spiritual leader; they follow a dominant one. -Cesar Millan