Musings

Dog Gripe | Musings

Canine Fear Confusion

Sometimes I feel l like the more I read the more confused I get about training a fearful dog and what can go wrong if you reward the wrong things. Essentially, I believe you cannot make a real fear worse by comforting a fearful dog. Despite what the tough-love people want us to believe, my understanding is that using classical conditioning makes fears better, not worse. Yet, I read some things in Dr. Nicholas Dodman’s book The Well-Adjusted Dog that have me doubting myself again. Help!?! …

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More Info: Rattlesnake Vaccine

When I reported the results from Lilly’s wellness exam, our training and blogging friend KB over at Romping and Rolling in the Rockies posted a comment that she knows someone involved with the rattlesnake vaccine. She offered to ask him some questions on our behalf. Here’s what we have to report from his answers. …

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Dog Video Gallery | Musings

A Video Study in Canine Body Language and Play

Lilly’s best, best friend (Katie, the borzoi) came to visit over the holiday weekend. I shot some good at-play video that I think is pretty instructive, when slowed down. It shows Katie and Ginko (our big boy) playing, with Lilly on the edge of the action. Considering that Ginko can be a bully and initially showed reactivity toward Katie when they met a few months ago, and considering that Katie was pretty fearful of him because of that, the two of them playing is a triumph of positive reinforcement that we did every day over many weeks. …

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Musings

Bowl vs. Activity Feeder

I’m toying with the idea of transitioning (at least in part) to feeding the dogs from activity feeders (what we call “food toys”) rather than from bowls. The dogs have always eaten from bowls (two meals a day), so the transition isn’t easy. …

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Pet Essay Causes Kerfuffle

I want to tell you about a horrible, horrible pet essay that is causing a flood of complaints. The essay,

Otto, The Wonder Dog, published in the May 2009 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal in a section they call Animal Affairs.

…

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Musings

Who Has Been Snacking in My Car?

Saturday morning I got up and out of the house somewhat early for a meeting about a friend’s upcoming city council run for office, so I did NOT have time for photos. But, as I began throwing everything I needed for the meeting and a much-needed day of errands, including all of Lilly’s stuff, into the car, I found all manner of fast food stuff strewn across my backseat. My first thought was to blame my darling husband, but then I realized I’d likely tossed the bag of wrappers and condiment packets (full) into the rear and forgot them. What, …

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Why We’re Meeting Our New Veterinarian

I was away at college when my
family euthanized my childhood dog (Brandy, a cocker). They drew straws over
the holidays freshman year to decide who would tell me. I spent the following three years
sans canine companionship, but I swore someone – by golly – was getting me a dog
for graduation. My then-boyfriend, now-husband, obliged and in the spring of
1990, I adopted my first dog as an adult at the age of 22. She was a young
Dalmatian I named Penelope
Grace, and she provided lifelong adventures of both the veterinary and
behavioral variety.
…

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Audio Files | Dog Training Update | Musings

Preventing the Inside-Outside Issue

Even though this spring has been more like winter than winter was, I’m starting to see inklings of our summertime recall collapse, where suddenly Lilly acts like coming inside is a terrible-terrible thing in the late afternoon or evening. …

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Top 10 Ways Veterinarians Can Better Serve Fearful Dogs

Last week, veterinary blogger Dolittler posted a piece entitled “Top 10 Pet Owner Excuses for Aggression in Dogs.” And,
while I understand the tone and intent, it made me feel really sad
because so many aggressive dogs are actually fearful dogs, who need help. I also noted
in my comment to her post that I felt terribly unwanted as a
veterinary client. It wasn’t so much what Dr. Patty Khuly wrote, but
some of the comments took blame and derision to a level I did not expect. For
example: …

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Dog Gripe | How To | Musings

Dog Walking 101

Longtime readers know that Lilly and I often take little trips off the mountain for Mommy & Lil dates. We run errands. We take walks in town on busy paths. We share patio lunches at our favorite local restaurants that allow pups to dine outside. Now that the weather is warmer, we try to get out at least once a week. Even with spring barely underway here in the Rocky Mountains, we see more and more people and dogs out during our adventures — much more so than in the winter. Recently, a couple of things have really started to …

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