See Spot Shine

Nail Clipping: A Closer Look

2012-01-04T18:47:00.000-08:00

In my last post, I discussed how to help Spot be more relaxed about nail clipping. In this post, with the help of some video clips, we'll take a closer look at the process.

In the video above, I start out with a mistake. Nobody's perfect! (Especially not while being aware of being videotaped.) I should have cleared enough space for both dogs to lie down comfortably. I did not. When Tashi (the dog in the foreground with the light-colored, bushy tail) tries to lie on her side, her tail hits a water bowl. Once I re-position her away from the bowls, she is more than happy to get into position for nail clipping. (Later, we have a similar problem when her brother's feet get in her way.)

I did do something right. I showed the dogs the nail clippers before taking out the treats. It's essential that the nail clippers predict good times to follow. If the treats come out first, then the nail clippers are not what make good things happen. We want Spot to think, "Oh, hooray! There are the clippers. Treats must be on their way!"

One important note: there are very different sets of rules at play for each dog. Tashi, with the bushy tail, came home at one year of age with no fear of the nail clipper. (I have my suspicions that no one ever clipped her nails until she got to the shelter, but that's a whole other story.) Since Tashi has no fear whatsoever, I move much more quickly with her. You may see her move immediately after some clips. She does so because she is eager for the treat (as opposed to Tomba, who is startling at the sound). I don't wait for Tashi to finish chewing her food and collect herself before I move on to the next nail. I require her to have her head down before I begin, but I don't require that she keep her head down for the entire process. I am lax with her because I can be: she almost always comes running when I announce that "It's time to do nails!" If Spot is that eager to have her nails done, then your job is easy. You just need to make sure that her positive association remains positive.

The rules are very different for Tomba, the dog in the background. He is both sensitive to paw handling and fearful of nail clipping. It doesn't help that he ripped out an entire nail, down to the bed, when he was younger. With Tomba, I proceed only when his head is flat to the floor. This is not for my own comfort, but rather, for his. His head flat to the floor is his signal to me that he is ready to proceed. If I forced him to proceed before he was ready, that would only further sour his view of nail clipping, not to mention damage his trust in me. Allowing him to decide if and when we move forward gives him more confidence. There is less reason to be frightened if nothing will happen without his approval. (If you're wondering how we got to this point, see my prior post.)

I start by clipping Tashi's nails to give Tomba time to re-acclimate to the sound. With each clip of Tashi's nails, Tomba gets a treat. We are furthering his positive association with the sound of the clip. Notice how he jumps the first two times that I clip Tashi's nails. Even though we've worked on this a lot, he still needs a warmup period. Your dog may need one too. This might mean your clipping wooden matches if Spot is sensitive to the sound, then feeding treats. It might mean first touching a shoulder, then treating, if Spot is sensitive to touch. It might mean you need to do both.

After a few clips of Tashi's nails, Tomba becomes more relaxed and offers to lie on his side without any instruction from me. He becomes much calmer as I work with Tashi. With Tashi, we start with the front nails. While she isn't fearful at all, her front paws are slightly sensitive. She frequently wags her tail through the entire process, but sometimes there is a slight flinch when we do her front paws. There is data that suggests that we humans tend to weigh more heavily the last moments when judging the amount of pain associated with an event. I don't know if that is true of dogs as well, but I have no evidence to the contrary, and much of what we know about learning theory applies across species, so, with Tashi, I get all the front nails done first and then, do the easy ones on the hind paws.

Tomba sometimes needs more of a warmup than clipping Tashi's nails provides, so with him, I frequently start with a hind paw. We may bounce back and forth between the more sensitive front nails and the back ones to give him more of a break.

When Tomba does show signs of tensing up (snatching a paw back or picking up his head), I back off and allow him time to collect himself. It helps to have a distinct visual signal. I lean back and sit up straight to indicate that I see his hesitation, and will not proceed until he is ready. This has a calming effect on Tomba. He knows nothing will happen until he's ready. If/when he's ready, he will lay his head flat to the floor. He wants to earn the treats, and he knows he will only earn them if I am able to proceed. He knows I will only proceed if his head is down, so voila! He tries his best to keep his head down. Sometimes, though, mind and body don't agree. When that happens, his head will stay flat to the floor, but he can't help but flinch when I try to clip. Even though he thinks he's ready, his body isn't cooperating. This is a good time to take a few steps back and do something easier. For Tomba, this might mean my putting the clippers down and touching a toe, then treating. We'll repeat this a few times until he is more relaxed and then, work on squeezing a toe. Gradually, we work our way back up to clipping. Since the front nails are so hard for Tomba, I always end with some repetitions of squeezing a front toe and pretending I'm about to clip. This way, we close with some really easy handling of his front paws followed by yummies!

Obviously, in the beginning, this process might be trying on your own nerves. Remember: Spot isn't doing this to spite you. She is scared. Getting angry at her will only scare her more. We are supposedly the smarter species. Take a breath. If you need to, take a walk. It may be that you're not ready to continue. You can do this. And so can Spot — if you help her. Think of the long run. Some time invested now will mean a lifetime of struggle-free clipping.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

See Spot Enjoy a Manicure

2012-01-04T13:44:00.000-08:00

Imagine this: You take out the nail clippers, and Spot follows you and gets into position without your having to say a word. Sound like a pipe dream? With a little effort, it could be a reality. Wrestling with Spot each time she needs a nail clipping requires a lot of effort, and, unless you do something to change Spot’s view of this process, it will continue to require a lot of effort, probably more each time, as Spot’s anticipation comes earlier and earlier. Trust me: you can change Spot’s view of the process.

Yes, Tashi is frequently this goofy & relaxed for nail clipping

Why am I so confident about this? I live with a certain someone who is so sensitive to things touching his body that any new item other than a collar requires a formal introduction. Even a bandanna can cause him to stand stiff as if encased in a full body cast. And yet now, when I take out the nail clippers, he will follow me and lie down. He may take a moment to ready himself, but he will get into position voluntarily and without a word from me. What’s more is that occasionally even after I tell him I’m done, he won’t get up because he wants the process to continue so he can earn more treats.

I won’t lie: This process requires patience on your part. The thing to remember is: Spot struggles not because she’s trying to spite you but because she’s worried about what might happen. If we can help reduce her stress, she won’t struggle. How do we get there?

First, we need Spot to think the mere appearance of the clippers means super things are about to follow. Don’t hold back here. The better the thing that happens after the clippers appear, the bigger an impression you’ll make, and the faster the process will go. What sends Spot over the moon? The most popular treats in my house range from leftover roast chicken to banana pancakes. Pizza crusts definitely trump hot dogs. Find out which foods Spot simply cannot get enough of. Reserve them for this process.

Trimmed nails help keep Spot comfortable on hard surfaces

After Spot has worked off her ya-yas and when she is likely to be hungry, get your clippers and place 12 treats (pre-chopped into pea-sized pieces) on the counter. Show Spot the clippers, hide them behind your back, and feed Spot a mouth-watering treat from the pile on the counter. (Your treat hand should only move after Spot notices the clippers, or she will watch your treat hand and not notice that it’s the appearance of the clippers that makes the treats happen.) Repeat until you’re out of treats. Say, “All done” in a sorry voice, show your empty hands, and put the clippers and treats away.

Repeat these sessions as many times as necessary until Spot looks at you expectantly — and happily — when you present the clippers. Celebrate! Spot and you should get rewards. You’ve helped her think, “Yippee!” when she sees the clippers!

Next time, present the clippers, and wait. If Spot sniffs them or even looks at them, put them behind your back, and feed a treat. If Spot doesn’t make a move toward the clippers -- but also doesn't move away from them -- move them an inch in her direction. Feed a treat.

Start far away from the toes, maybe at the chest, where she enjoys a good scratch. Touch lightly and briefly with the clippers. Feed a yummy treat. Spot should want you to continue. If she doesn’t, you’re moving too quickly. How do you know if she wants more? If you dismiss her, does she sit there staring at you, wagging and waiting? Yes? That’s a perfect time to end the session, while she still wants more.

Always start a new session by backtracking a bit and working your way back up to where you were when you ended. With each successive session, work your way slowly closer to the toes. Spot should be trotting to you eagerly each time she sees the clippers come out. When you reach the toes, tap lightly on a nail with the clippers and feed a treat. Once Spot is comfortable with the clippers tapping her nails, put the clippers away. Repeat the entire process of working your way toward the toes, this time just touching with your hands, and treating. Work your way slowly down to the toes. When Spot is looking at you expectantly after you touch each toe, squeeze a toe very lightly and only for a fraction of a second. Feed a treat.

If at any point, Spot would like things to stop, stop. The idea is to get Spot to associate nail clipping with good things happening. When we introduce force, we increase the likelihood of panic and make our jobs all the harder next time. If something great is about to happen, we wouldn’t have to use force to keep Spot there, would we? If Spot is being held down with all your might, she'll think that no dog in her right mind would want to stay for the event that is about to follow. It’s a reasonable assumption on Spot’s part. If Spot gets spooked, at the next session, backtrack a few steps to a point that you know Spot enjoys. Stay at that level until Spot simply refuses to get up when you’re done.

Next, create a positive association for Spot with the sound of nail clipping by using wooden matchsticks. Clip a matchstick, feed a treat. Repeat until the sound is music in Spot’s ears. Next, combine a toe squeeze with match clipping. When you have Spot at a point where she thinks a squeeze of the toe and the sound of a matchstick getting clipped means some great morsel is forthcoming, then you’re ready to proceed to clipping a nail. Take off just the little bit of a hook at the end of the nail, so you can be certain that you won’t come near the quick. Immediately shower Spot with treats, and end the session there, before Spot has time to consider whether or not to panic. In the future, when Spot insists that she doesn’t want the process to end, you can clip 2 nails in a session. For now, go treat yourself to something terrific! You’ve just spared Spot and yourself a whole lot of angst over the years.

See my next post for videos and a closer look at the process in action.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Got a Minute? 60-Second Training Sessions

2011-12-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

3 Ideas for a 60-Second Training Session

Wilbur, ever striving to be teacher's pet

Are you too busy even to finish reading this article, let alone train your dog? It happens to the best of us. The unexpected occurs, and suddenly, the time we thought we’d have with Spot is swallowed up by some unavoidable obligation. Don’t despair! There are ways to keep up with Spot’s education even if you can’t get to a class or set aside a chunk of time right now. Presumably, no matter how busy you are, there are things you are still doing for Spot: providing food and exercise. These are perfect moments to train. You can do a lot in a minute. Following are 3 ideas:

1: Recall

Just before a meal, while Spot is hungry, is an ideal time to work on a behavior that is challenging for Spot. She’ll be more inclined to focus on the task. For many dogs, the most challenging behavior is coming when called. Well, if Spot is hungry, she’s going to come when called. This is exactly what we want: to condition her into thinking that coming when called is a fantastic idea! She’ll come running to you, bursting with enthusiasm, and be well rewarded for her quick response to her name. You will not only complete your training session in less time, you will continue to reap benefits into the future: studies suggest that dogs that practice recall while they’re hungry retain their speed and enthusiasm through future recalls. And with recall work, less is more. Three good, strong, enthusiastic recalls are far better than 3 strong ones, followed by 3 mediocre ones, followed by dilly dallying. You can easily do 3 recalls in a minute. Toss a few low value treats, such as Cheerios, on the floor, encourage Spot to get them, run to another room, and call Spot. When you hear Spot racing to find you, cheer! Cheer the whole time she’s looking for you. And when she finds you, shower her — and I mean drench her — with praise. If we want Spot to be enthusiastic when running towards us, we need to provide some enthusiasm ourselves. Feed Spot a bunch of her favorite treats torn in teeny tiny pieces so they last longer. Then, toss some Cheerios on the floor, run, and repeat! You can also practice recalls before walks. Get yourself ready to go, then busy yourself with something else until Spot thinks that you’ve completely lost your memory. Go to another room and call Spot, leash in hand. Celebrate the same way, with lavish praise, and off you both go! A fun way to harness the excitement about a walk and use it to your advantage!

Zoe, the picture of attention!

2: Stay

Many dogs are taught to stay while waiting for their meals. In fact, they’re so good at it they don’t even need to be told. They hear their food coming out of the pantry, and they plant themselves, waiting. And drooling. While this is far better than jumping and knocking the food out of your hands, you can make this behavior even more useful simply by placing Spot in different locations of your choosing. Start slowly. If Spot usually sits 2 feet from the counter, position him 2 ½ feet from the counter. Ask him to stay. Gradually increase the distance until you can ask him to stay out of sight while you get his meal together. Rotate locations to keep it interesting. When Spot’s stays are really strong, see if you can put him in a stay upstairs, while you go downstairs to prep his meal. When you’re ready, bring the meal to him, so Spot happily stays in place, rather than anxiously awaits release.

3: Accepting Handling & Restraint

Montana, perfectly content

When we think of training, we tend to think of teaching Spot to do something, but teaching Spot to relax while someone examines and/or restrains her is an equally important component of her training. Some dogs are worried about hands coming towards their faces. If this is true of Spot, you might reach your hand to within 12" of the side of her face. Spot should barely acknowledge the motion of your hand at this distance. Present your hand for just a second, remove it, and feed Spot a treat. Repeat, and keep repeating until Spot appears to want you to do it again, so she can reap her rewards. When you see that, that’s your signal that you can increase intensity just a bit. Depending on what you’re working on, increasing intensity might mean decreasing distance (moving your hand closer to Spot), increasing duration (holding an eye open for a bit longer), or increasing pressure (squeezing a toe to prepare for nail clipping). The motion of your hand or your touch should predict that a reward is coming. Be generous. Spot might be “fine” with your touch while she’s feeling well, but if she’s happy with it now, you have a better chance of her being “fine” with being handled when she’s in pain or otherwise stressed.

Remember to smile while you’re training. And breathe. Spending 60 seconds with Spot will lower your blood pressure, and a relaxed you is a more clearly thinking you, so really, you’re saving time by spending a minute with Spot.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Why Spot May Not Hear You

2011-10-23T10:32:00.000-07:00

Does Spot listen to you when you’re in your kitchen or living room, but not when you step out the door, or when another dog is in sight? When our dogs are learning a behavior, it’s not simply a matter of learning the definition of the word “Sit” or “Come”; it’s a matter of learning a new skill.

Our dogs’ strongest sense is smell. Not only do they have 10,000 to 100,000 times the number of sensory cells in their nasal cavities that we do, far more of their brain space is dedicated to processing olfactory information. It’s believed that a dog can smell a bitch in heat from a mile away, and be able to detect a drop of urine in a lake. Dogs are already proving to be better detectors of early stages of cancer than our most advanced technology. So when Spot steps out the door, imagine all the information he encounters. It’s not that he is ignoring a cue from us because he is stupid or stubborn or spiteful. He may simply be enthralled! It takes practice for a dog to learn how to juggle all the incoming data from the environment while processing cues from us. It happens all the time in class. A dog might be doing quite well in her quiet corner, and then she’s brought out to the middle of class to demonstrate a behavior, and all of a sudden, she stops responding to familiar cues. And if you look at her nose, you can see it quivering in overdrive. While to the person on the other end of the leash, it may feel as though Spot is doing this to embarrass her human, the more likely explanation is that Spot is processing new information about her surroundings. Imagine walking into a busy waiting room and knowing the age, diet, health, and emotional state not only of all the people in the room but of all the people who had been in the room for days prior. And now imagine while you’re processing all this information, someone is asking you in a foreign language to perform complex mathematical calculations in your head. Would you be able to respond quickly?

Our dogs’ main mode of communication is via body language. When working with us, dogs accommodate us by recognizing that our body language sometimes completely contradicts theirs (e.g., direct eye contact in “dog” is rude; lowering shoulders and looking down is not an admission of guilt but may be a plea to the other to calm down), and that while they respond to our body language, we frequently do not at all acknowledge theirs. On top of this, we expect our dogs to recognize that no matter how we alter a word (merely a sound to our dogs), using intonation, volume, speed, etc, that it means the same thing. It’s a lot for a dog to process while he’s taking in information about others’ lives and, possibly, impending deaths. Dogs need to practice — and be rewarded for — working with us in increasingly more distracting environments. To help Spot, we might teach “Sit” first in the quiet of the living room. When Spot is able to perform the behavior there, we might then try in a quiet kitchen. Can Spot focus if there is food on the counter? What if someone is eating? From there, we might move closer to the front door, where Spot can hear passersby. Still doing well? What about 10 feet from the front door, with the door ajar? What if it’s wide open?

Now that's focus in the face of distraction! Look at all that food right behind Montana!

It may be helpful to think of Spot’s ability to perform a behavior as a muscle. To build the muscle, we need to exercise it at the appropriate level, slowly and gradually increasing difficulty. Are you feeling warmed up and ready? Go help Spot stretch his brain. And remember to cheer him on and reward him for a job well done!

Max pays no mind to the other 3 dogs! He only has eyes for his person!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

See Spot NOT Blow Her Top

2011-09-25T14:42:00.000-07:00

Have you ever let a pot boil until the lid rattles? It takes longer for pots with heavier lids, but if the fire is high enough, it still happens that the steam builds enough to lift the lid and cause it to rattle. Dogs — and people — are the same way. Some of us come with heavier lids and can hold in more steam before getting rattled. Some of us more easily “blow our tops.” Wherever we fall in the range, though, we all have our tipping points, and if we don’t want the pot to boil over, it’s necessary to either turn down the fire and/or let off some steam.

If Spot is barking wildly at someone or something, her body will experience an adrenaline rush. This is a physiological change that will prime Spot to be more likely to respond in an over the top manner to the next stimulus or the next presentation of the same stimulus. The adrenaline rush has turned up the heat. Think of the pot. We either need to let off some steam, or we need to turn the fire back down. If we opt to yell at Spot or otherwise punish her, we’re adding to the emotions and turning up the heat, and at the same time, expecting Spot to keep a lid on it even though we haven’t. Yelling and/or otherwise punishing Spot may succeed in startling or frightening her into being quiet, but it doesn’t address the reason that Spot was reacting in the first place. So now we have steam being held in and fire being turned up. This won’t result in just a little rattling of the lid. Now, we’re ready for an explosion. If Spot was feeling agitated before, she will be feeling even more agitated after the correction. It’s not uncommon to hear people say that a dog bit without warning. Sometimes in these cases, the dog has communicated her stress, but the dog’s pleas for help were not recognized. Often, when a bite happens without much, if any, warning, it’s because the dog has been punished in the past for precisely that: giving warning.

Tashi (rt), turning her head away to signal that she doesn't want to interact

Tashi, continuing to politely tolerate Brooklyn's invasion of her personal space

Barks and growls are important communications. We should be extremely grateful for them. This is Spot saying, “I’m really uncomfortable now. Please do something.” We want Spot to tell us when this is the case. If we punish Spot and tell her “I don’t want to hear it,” she may stop communicating for fear of our wrath, and instead, when she’s ready to burst, she’ll proceed directly to biting. If you know what makes Spot uncomfortable, you can rectify the situation by helping her be more comfortable with the things she identifies as problematic for her. If Spot has learned that she will be punished any time she expresses her discomfort, it will be more difficult for you to know what’s problematic until it’s too late. Children are especially vulnerable, as they move more quickly and unpredictably. Spot has less time to consider whether it’s better to disobey the order of silence or to go ahead and bite.

A tense moment, when Brooklyn invades Tashi's space head-on. Note Tashi's closed mouth & refusal to cede space to Brooklyn. By the taking of this photo, Tashi has repeatedly, politely turned her head away from Brooklyn to indicate that she does not want to interact. Brooklyn has not read the signals & here, finds that Tashi's patience has worn thin & she's not about to let Brooklyn move into her space again. Note how Brooklyn's weight is back in this photo. She is surprised to find that Tashi is now standing her ground.

You can help Spot be a more stable dog by learning to recognize her individual stress signs. These might be anything from lip licking, looking away, yawning, blinking, or going from a relaxed, open mouth to a closed one. Note when Spot displays these signs and, until you’re ready to address the problematic stimuli, shield Spot from them. If Spot is reacting to people or is difficult to distract from the stimulus, contact a professional to help you. If Spot is showing only low levels of discomfort, turn down the fire (increase distance, decrease volume, slow down movement, etc.), and help her let off some steam. A happy voice and some treats will aid in stanching the adrenaline rush. While my dogs will still chase animals in the woods, it’s pretty rare for them to break after a bunny in our yard. They’ve been conditioned to think of bunnies in the yard as harbingers of treats. If you can change the emotion, you will change the behavior, but first, you need to know where the problem lies. Listen to Spot. She’ll tell you.

PS: To encourage Tashi to continue being polite even when others are not, she was treated generously for tolerating Brooklyn's invasion of her personal space. Good girl, Tashi! And, once it was clear that Brooklyn was not getting the message from Tashi, I made sure to intercede so that Tashi was not pushed to the point where she needed to escalate to aggressive behavior to get her point across.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

A Confident Spot Is A Stable Spot

2011-08-12T08:14:00.000-07:00

Last month, Tashi gazed out at a sea of over 170 people staring back at her. She was delighted. The ease with which Tashi accepts strange new experiences is no accident.

Tashi, at her 2nd shelter that we know of

Tashi was 1 year old when Bob and I adopted her. After 3 visits and a 2-week waiting period, we were eager to bring her home. There was just one problem: She wouldn’t get in the car. We tossed treats in. We opened all the doors so the space wouldn’t be enclosed. But as much as Tashi loves food, she watched the treats land, wagged nervously, and remained outside the car. I got in myself. Tashi watched. Bob and I both got in. Still no dice. We sat in the back and scattered treats everywhere. Not good enough.

While we were eager to get Tashi home, we weren’t about to begin our lifelong relationship with a power play and a shove or pull into the car. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we would not be going home immediately, and allowed Tashi to move at her own pace. While it would have been far quicker that time and the next few times to force Tashi into the car, in the long run, it would have been very costly. By not using force, we gave Tashi reason to trust us, and made it more likely that she could eventually learn to like the car in the future. Had we forced her in, she would have experienced panic and it would have been at our hands that she suffered the experience. The next time we needed her to get in, she would have been wary of both us and the car. As she was allowed to enter at her own pace, no bad association was seared into her brain. And since she was calm about entering, she was able to enjoy the treats and praise once she did. Presto! Good association with car and people.

Bob and I try our best to ensure that Tashi has a good time around any new stimuli. This is especially critical during a puppy’s sensitive stage, age 3 to 14 weeks approximately, but it is also crucial for Spot to continue to have fun with new experiences throughout her life. In the vast majority of aggression cases, fear is the root cause. The more confident a dog is in new circumstances, the more stable she will be. Thus, when I saw the casting call for a dog to participate in the Williamstown Theatre Festival’s production of “A Doll’s House,” I submitted Tashi’s application. I had thought that the stage experience would be a great way for her to further her life experiences. Little did I know that it was waiting in her “Green Room” that would prove most beneficial to her learning. She was assigned to a room in the prop shop, where there were high-pitched mechanical sounds: lathe, buzz saw, drill. There were booms, clangs, bangs. There was shouting. There were novel sights: panels big as a car, oddly shaped props, power tools, men and women in hard hats, tool belts, and headsets swinging the office door open and bursting in inches from Tashi’s face. I can’t begin to address the smells.

Whenever something strange occurred, I fed Tashi a special treat. She doesn’t normally get cheese popcorn and clearly adores it, so this was a good choice for her. Note: For many dogs, no treat would have been enough to counter the intensity (loudness, closeness), the frequency, and the degree of oddness of these experiences. Tashi has had much practice with novel experiences, and Bob and I have worked hard to prove to her that we will always protect her. At vet offices, we always accompany her, so we are certain that she is never handled in a manner that frightens her. As a result, Tashi is very trusting that people and new experiences will not harm her. Take care when introducing your own dog to new experiences that they do not overwhelm her. It will serve you better in the long run if you begin at so low an intensity that Spot doesn’t notice or care than if you begin at an intensity that frightens Spot.

In the prop shop, Tashi was frequently napping when she was awakened by oddly-outfitted strangers reaching over her head. She couldn’t have handled it better, often wagging her tail. I did not take her aplomb for granted, praising and treating her. It isn’t enough for a dog to be “fine” with suddenly having her space infringed upon. If Spot starts at a baseline of tolerant when things are well, she will not be tolerant when stressed. We need Spot to be happy about as many experiences as possible, so that in the event that Spot is injured or otherwise stressed, while she might not be happy, she may at least be tolerant.

Teaching Tashi that cats are not for chasing

Some dogs inherit a greater propensity to accept novel stimuli, but all dogs need to continue practicing encountering new experiences throughout their lives. So get out there! Introduce Spot to something new. Remember to take it slowly and make it fun for Spot. This may mean different things at different times. Spot may feel braver one day. She may prefer play to food on another. Keep Spot safe, keep it fun, and watch Spot take more and more in stride.

PS: Tashi's stage debut was reviewed thusly in Berkshire Bright Focus & The Advocate:
"No dog should ever be the highlight of a drama like this one, but Tashi actually is."

Photo of Tashi in performance

Tashi serves as a fun & safety monitor at See Spot Shine.

See Spot Play!

2011-07-20T14:29:00.000-07:00

Play with other dogs is not just fun for Spot, it’s good for him, too. Social encounters with other dogs give Spot the opportunity to practice his canine body language skills. Without regular practice, dogs can lose both their body language skills and their comfort with meeting unfamiliar dogs. So find Spot some canine playmates and help ensure that he stays dog friendly.

How does one identify good playmates? If Spot takes a class, look around for a good match for him. Recently, I suggested a pairing between a couple of graduates from my Good Manners class. Major, a Saint Bernard/Collie mix, and Duke, a black Lab, are both just over a year old, and both are large, though Duke does not nearly approach Major’s 137 pounds! What Duke does not have in weight, however, he makes up in agility, so it was my thought that the dogs would be somewhat on par physically. While neither dog has extensive experience playing with other dogs, I suspected they would do well with one another, as in class both dogs always greeted the appearance of another dog with loose, friendly bodies. While, on occasion, they might have preferred to interact with the other dogs in class, neither dog ever showed signs of allowing their frustration to escalate into aggression. This is important to note, as high arousal can lead to aggressive behavior. These boys, however, showed only eagerness. To boot, Major, in the past, had displayed an extremely high level of tolerance when a puppy launched a completely unwarranted, aggressive attack on him. Major simply went limp until the humans swooped in to help, so I had good reason to believe that he might have more patience than most with a playful, relentless Lab.

For the boys’ play date, we needed a large, secure area. Whenever you are introducing dogs who are unfamiliar with one another, space considerations are paramount. There should be ample space for the dogs to increase distance from one another as needed for their safety and comfort. The area should be clear of items that might be guarded possessively. There should be no areas where a dog might unexpectedly find himself cornered. You should have both a clear view and clear access to the full space. Duke’s family, the Kings, generously offered use of their large fenced yard for the boys’ play date. It was perfect.

Dogs unfamiliar with one another should always be introduced first on neutral territory. In this case, as the dogs had attended class together, and I had been able to observe their behavior over the course of weeks, I felt comfortable arranging their play date in Duke’s yard. Had the dogs not met before, we would have introduced them on neutral territory, walking them parallel to one another, and gradually decreasing the distance between them as they exhibited friendly signs.

While these dogs had met before, we nonetheless handled their re-introduction with care. Major’s mom, Karen Burrington, led Major into the fenced area, while Duke waited in the house. Had Duke, the resident dog, been in the yard when Major arrived, Duke might have felt the need to defend his territory. Dogs are more accepting of a stranger on the territory if the stranger is already present when the resident arrives. Once Major had a chance to sniff around and get reacquainted with Duke’s scent, Patrick, Duke’s primary caretaker, led Duke over to the fence. We all watched the dogs carefully. Duke was completely wiggly from the get-go. (Tail wagging indicates arousal level, not necessarily friendliness. What you want to see is loose muscles and a loose, swishy tail.) He immediately propped his paws on the gate and pushed his nose over. Major, too, showed a loose, relaxed body, but his posture wasn’t as forward leaning as Duke’s. He was maintaining some personal space while sniffing through the fence. This was ideal. Duke needs reminders that not every dog wants another dog, friendly or not, in his face. In all Duke’s eagerness, he can forget his manners. Major provided a subtle, very polite reminder to tone it down a bit.

Once everyone was comfortable with the introductions through the fence, Duke was invited to enter the yard. Almost immediately, Major offered a play bow, an indication that whatever followed was meant in play, and the boys were off. They ran and wrestled and wrestled and ran. The thinking of old was that an even sharing of roles was a sign of healthy play, with each dog spending just as much time being the chaser as the chasee. It is now understood that role reversal is not necessary in healthy play. Some dogs simply prefer one role or the other.

What are signs of good play? There should be much “wasted” movement. Leaps should be exaggerated, with a great deal of movement from side to side, rather than just forward launching. Watch for bent elbows, an easily identifiable indicator of play. Major displayed another welcome sign of polite play: handicapping. When playing with dogs who are younger, smaller, or otherwise weaker, some polite dogs will lower themselves either partially or completely to the ground, putting themselves more on par with the “weaker” dog. Major not only lowered his body to the ground but rolled over, leaving his belly prone during a wrestling match, a clear indication that he meant no harm.

Self-imposed timeouts to sniff, drink, or rest allow arousal levels to be brought back down, thereby reducing the risk of a fight breaking out. If the dogs don’t call a timeout on their own, you may need to step in and call one for them. In addition to the more obvious signs that things may be getting rougher, watch for more subtle signs of discomfort: turning the gaze away, blinking, yawning, scratching, sniffing, sideways or flattened ears.

If you are at all unsure if both dogs are still having fun, call the dogs apart and hold the collar of the one that you suspect might be getting a little rough. If his playmate comes looking for him, you can rest assured that things are still copacetic. Remember to keep the play session short. Play should end while everyone is still having a rollicking good time.

And, finally, enjoy the peace that comes with a happy, tired Spot.

Training: It's All About Attitude

2011-06-20T18:21:00.000-07:00

At this year’s sold-out Clicker Expo training conference in Chicago, Swedish trainers Eva Bertilsson and Emelie Johnson-Vegh discussed the importance of a dog’s attitude. For these world-renowned trainers, a happy and confident attitude in a canine student is their first priority. Author Jane Killion also emphasizes the importance of attitude in her book When Pigs Fly!, stressing that while attitude is an important component of training for all dogs, it’s even more so for those dogs who are not naturally interested in their humans. I couldn’t agree more. Happiness and confidence increase reliability.

When teaching Spot to lie down, it might seem that the core of the lesson should be teaching Spot what the word “Down” means. While Spot does need to learn that “Down” is the cue to press his chest to the floor, that’s really the easiest part of the lesson. Most dogs can rather quickly comprehend what it is that humans want when they say sit, down, stay, or come. The primary issue is not what, but why. Why should Spot cooperate?

Sometimes, a dog’s failure to cooperate is due to the fact that he hasn’t been properly taught. He might have sat a few times coincidentally a few seconds after his person uttered the word “Sit,” but for Spot it wasn’t the word that indicated to him that sitting might be a good idea. It was the fact that his person was holding a piece of cheese or a ball, or his person was looking intimidating, and so, Spot sat to try and appease his person. Spot had no idea what the word meant; it was the situation that clued him into what to do. More frequently in class, I find that a dog’s failure to cooperate is a matter not of comprehension, but of motivation. Spot doesn’t see why he should sit.

APDT Rally Champion Tashi

As a trainer, I love nothing more than cultivating joy in a dog’s responses to training cues. Yes, it can be done! You can convince Spot that it’s fun to do things that he wouldn’t normally do on his own. Using old-fashioned methods, a trainer might have used a pinch or choke collar to deliver a swift snap to the dog’s neck if the dog fell out of step. Would you have fun learning something if every time you made a mistake someone choked you, however lightly? I know I would not.

I also find it infinitely more pleasurable to watch dogs who joyfully — rather than fearfully — respond to cues. My dog Tashi and I compete in APDT Rally Obedience, which requires a substantial amount of heeling. In the higher levels, the heeling is done off leash. At our last trials, Tashi whined while she waited her turn to enter the ring. Why? Don’t most dogs find heeling dreadfully boring?

Tashi, doing a great job of running on leash w/Dad

As trainers Bertilsson, Johnson-Vegh, and Killion explained, it’s all about attitude. If we want a dog who works enthusiastically, as good trainers, we need to show them why it’s a good idea to cooperate. With Tashi, heeling required a two-prong (no, not that kind of prong!) approach. While she loves food, she also loves to use her sniffer, so food alone wasn’t enough. Knowing that my girl lives to play, I decided to tap into this.

Heeling didn’t need to be dreadfully boring. We started with “Catch me if you can”: I tried to dodge her; if she got within a few feet of me, I marked her success with a clicker (a small noisemaker used by some trainers to mark a reward-earning behavior) and fed her a treat. There was no force. It was completely her choice. Tashi chose to try and catch me because it was fun.

At first, we did this always at a fast pace and with lots of changes in direction, so it was truly a job for her to keep an eye on me. I released the treats beside my left leg, so she was always receiving her food rewards in proper heel position. Gradually, I began to introduce brief (initially, just a step or 2) snippets of heeling at a normal pace. I clicked and rewarded for attention while walking and then, we resumed our fast-paced game. Very gradually, and in an unpredictable pattern, I extended the periods of normal walking, so that sometimes there was little to no running. Sometimes, I used running rather than food as a reward for attentive heeling. Sometimes, I threw a toy and released Tashi to go get it. Fun, fun, fun! Walking side by side became a predictor that we might play the “Catch me if you can” game, or I might throw a toy, or I might supply a tasty treat. I’m just full of fun surprises. Don’t you want to see what I’m up to next?

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors atSee Spot Shine, LLC.

Learning from Spot

2011-05-31T08:10:00.000-07:00

Sigh. Tomba is just too smart. Whenever he doesn’t get something I'm trying to teach him, I must remind myself that it’s probably my fault. And, once again, it was my fault.

Last time Tomba pointed out the error of my ways, I was trying to teach him to go out to a target then, turn, face me, and sit. We were doing really well. He got all the parts, and I could send him from either my right or left side. The only issue was that he kept lying down after reaching the target and turning to face me. I could then get him to sit, but he would always lie down automatically. Why?

After some thought . . .

Duh!!! The way I taught him to go out was using a target. It was a small target, a mousepad actually, but I was using the cue: “Mat,” which for Tomba always means: “Run to the item, turn, face me, and lie down on it.” Even though I don't explicitly ask for a down, that’s the position I always reinforce on a mat. And even though the mousepad didn't look anything like a normal mat, I was saying, “Mat.” And then, I was confused as to why he was lying down automatically. Slow, slow, sadly slow human. I was the one who made up the definition to that cue. And there Tomba was, trying to tell his slow human — repeatedly — that he was doing exactly what I was asking.

Dogs are consistent creatures. We’re the ones who keep changing the rules.

This past week, I wanted to teach Tomba the cue “Around,” where he would circle an object without my going with him (the object would be between us). Every time, we got to the object that he was supposed to circle, he would be moving well, look down, and then, suddenly sidestep to try and stay on the same side with me. We gave it a few tries, and he’d be moving along smoothly as if to circle the object, and then, at the last second, sidestep, and try to squeeze on to my side. Why? Again, “Think, Barbara!” Dogs do what works for them. Why was Tomba willing to almost trip and fall just to smush up against me?

Think, think, think . . .

It was the object that I was using to send him around: a cone. Whenever we’ve used cones in a moving exercise it’s been while working on a close heel. Tomba has always been rewarded for staying on the same side of the cone as I’m on. He knows the rules. I’m still learning. Good thing I have a great teacher!

And now, I know when I work on "Around" with Tashi, that I shouldn't use a cone, as that may confuse her in Rally Obedience, where Spot should always be on the same side of the cone as you.

Is your dog trying to tell you something about your lesson plan? Note to us: Sometimes Spot is the better teacher!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

My New Best Friend: Product Review

2011-04-20T11:51:00.000-07:00

Want to meet my new best friend?

It's hard to catch a clear shot of her because she's always on the move. It's also hard to get a photo of her alone because she's so popular.

She's easy on the floors . . . the paws, and the teeth.

She's KONG Genius!

According to the KONG website, Genius is made of "durable, non-toxic, FDA food-approved TPR material," and manufactured in the USA.

Here's what I know:

Take a Genius

Add a cookie

And voilà!
15 solid minutes of a (outside of slurping) silent good time!

Although the KONG website says this toy is for "average chewers," it has been quality tested for the past month by a "well-above-average chewer," and outside of some slobber still looks none the worse for the wear.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Rally for Your Relationship

2011-04-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

FIRST PLACE!
High Combined Scores
for the Weekend

Tashi was always Daddy’s Little Girl. Even though I took her to various classes and worked with her more than my husband did, Bob and Tashi had a special bond. They shared an activity they both loved: they ran together.

And then came Rally. I never thought I would compete in anything with my dogs. I was happy with them. They are completely delightful in the home (well, okay, except for barking at bunnies in our yard). I enjoy taking them to classes just for the fun of working with them, but I had no need for competition.

Well, this past Sunday evening, Tashi and I ran our last of 12 Rally courses for the weekend. Neither she nor I could move on Monday, but by Tuesday, I was wondering when our next trial would be. On Wednesday, I took Tashi to a drop-in class with the wonderful Rachel Brostrom at Monadnock Humane Society, where the trials were held. I wanted to return asap and make sure Tashi had a good time there, so she would have a good association with the place. Over the weekend, she was spending 11-hour days there, including much time in the crate. On Wednesday, I invited her out of the car, and she proceeded to pull me hard towards the entrance. Why are we both so eager to continue?

From the spectator’s viewpoint, Rally can look deceptively simple: some heeling, sits and downs and recalls. Spot can do that, right? Now add in the distraction of having dozens of other dogs on the premises, lots of waiting around in a crate or car, and a handler who is having trouble finding her way on the course. Can Spot stay focused? What if he’s off leash?

While Tashi knew many of the behaviors required, there were some that we needed to add to our repertoire. Had it simply been for a class, I might not have completed training the behaviors, as they are not overtly relevant to our daily lives. Yet, by working through them, Tashi and I have developed a bond that we did not have before we began training for trials. Part of the reason is that I’ve become better at problem solving and thereby, better at sharing the load.

Initially, we had difficulty with the directed jumps. Tashi’s job was to figure out when I wanted her to take a jump that wasn’t in her direct line of sight and when I wanted her to ignore the jump and come directly to me. Because she was still offering some kind of behavior, even if it was not what I wanted (sometimes coming to me when I wanted her to jump and vice versa), I understood that my communications were unclear. She was trying. This took some problem solving on my part to correct. I could have left everything to Tashi to figure out, sticking to my training plan and letting her struggle on her own. After all, if she paid attention, she would know what I wanted, right? She knew the signals; the problem was she was taking off without listening first. To me, training is all about communication and cooperation. Tashi’s behavior was telling me that my instructions weren’t working for her. As the purportedly smarter being, I should be able to fix things.

Tashi’s nickname isn’t Whirly Girl for nothing. Her legs work faster than her brain. When she hears my voice, she comes flying. She could bypass — or take — a jump faster than I could spit a cue out of my mouth. By looking at the jump and leaning my weight in that direction before giving the verbal cue to take it (or conversely, clearly centering my weight before giving the verbal cue to come to me directly), I am able to communicate to Tashi what she should do before she takes off. The verbal cue then signals when she should take off. This order gives her brain time to catch up with those runner’s legs.

In addition to strengthening my communications skills, Rally has also helped me become much more adept at multitasking. While a Rally course might look nothing like a busy street, if you can keep track of the numbered stations, navigate the many changes in direction, hold your dog’s emotional state in check, and cue behaviors on demand all at once, you’re well on your way to being able to navigate a busy city street.

The best part, though, is the change in Tashi’s and my interactions. She definitely watches and interacts with me more and differently since we started training in Rally. It’s almost as if she now knows that I’m smarter than I sometimes look. With a little time and patience, she can get me to understand things. We’re constantly reading each other now and communicating back and forth. While Tashi still loves and runs with her dad, she’s now both his and my Whirly Girl.

On only her 3rd weekend of trials, Tashi earned her Rally Level 3 title with an Award of Excellence, placed 1st in 4 out of her 12 trials, and won 1st Place for High Combined Scores for the Weekend.

What a shelter/rescue dog can do!

APDT Rally

Many thanks to Amy Hershberger for her wonderful camera work!

How Smart Is Spot?

2011-03-03T12:54:00.000-08:00

Wikipedia: Border Collie

In 2004, Border Collie Rico made the pages of the international science journal “Nature” when he demonstrated retention of over 200 words. Inspired by Rico’s accomplishments, researchers John Pilley and Alliston Reid acquired a Border Collie of their own and embarked on a quest to test the limits of the dog’s ability to comprehend language. This past December, they published their findings in Elsevier’s online journal “Behavioural Processes.” Their dog Chaser, over the course of three years, learned and retained the names of 1,022 toys to an accuracy level of 95%, better, the researchers admitted, than their own retention level. And that is arguably not the most impressive result.

According to guidelines published by the National Institutes of Health, a five year-old human child should know approximately 2,000 words. After three years of training, Chaser knew the names of 1,022 toys. It is unclear from the article how many additional vocabulary words Chaser knew that were not relevant to the study. As Chaser was also trained in herding, agility, and tracking, it is likely that her vocabulary was not limited to the names of the 1,022 toys that were utilized in the series of experiments. Researchers Pilley and Reid ended Chaser’s vocabulary training not because the dog reached a saturation point and could not retain any more words but because they themselves didn’t have the time to invest in furthering her training.

Chaser demonstrated other cognitive feats as well. Experiments proved that Chaser was able to categorize objects by their physical characteristics (identify which objects were “balls” and, separately, which were “Frisbees”) as well as by a more abstract defining quality (identify which objects were “toys,” i.e. objects with which she was permitted to play). Further, Chaser was able to deduct that the novel toy in a group must be the one that had the name she didn’t recognize.

In another group of experiments, Chaser was able to comprehend novel pairings of cues and names of objects. She learned actions associated with the words “Nose,” “Paw,” and “Take,” independent of learning the names of the objects that were used in this series of experiments. Thus, while she knew the objects by name, she had never been asked to interact with them in the way that was requested in these experiments. Still, she responded correctly even in the first trial. This demonstrates that Chaser was able to comprehend that some words (nouns) have no implied action connected to them, while other words (verbs) describe action, and the two can be connected in random combinations.

It is likely that early training contributed to Chaser’s extraordinary abilities. She was after all acquired with specific goals in mind. In an earlier blog post, I wrote about the importance of a dog’s critical period and the impact that experiences during that period — approximately age 3 to 12 weeks — have on the development of a dog’s physical brain and cognitive abilities.

And while early exposure to experiences increases a dog’s capacity to learn, it doesn’t completely define it, so I am now stepping away from this screen and going to talk to my dogs. I hope you are too. Who knows what they could accomplish with a little more education . . .

New England Border Collie Rescue

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Rally Trials at High Goal Farm: Day 2

2011-02-08T13:17:00.000-08:00

There was a winter storm warning for Bennington County on Saturday afternoon, so Tashi and I had to leave before her afternoon Level 2 run. It was disappointing, as she needed one more qualifying run to earn her Level 2 title.

Happily, we were due to return for 2 more trials on Sunday.

On Sunday morning, Tashi won 1st place in her title-earning run. Tashi likes to do everything quickly! so, after two weekends of competing, she now has her Level 1 and Level 2 titles, both with Excellence. Way to go, Tashi!

And, to put a little more icing on the cake, on Sunday afternoon, Tashi did a perfect run in Level 1B, earning her her 3rd blue ribbon of the weekend.

With Judge Peg Munves, after Tashi's perfect run

Not bad for a dog who spent time in at least 2 different shelters, and at age one, didn't know the word "Sit," nor was house-trained.

What a shelter/rescue dog can do!

Tomba and Tashi, CGC, RL1/AoE, RL2/AoE, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Rally Trials at High Goal Farm

2011-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

Before

After

Tashi participated in APDT Rally-O trials at the beautiful High Goal Farm today. (Sadly, her friend Arthur was not there, as he had a little bit of a mishap.)

Winning a blue ribbon is exhausting! One more qualifying run, and Tashi will have her Level 2 title. Go, Tashi! Go, shelter/rescue dogs!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Snow Joy!

2011-02-03T16:11:00.000-08:00

* * *

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Front-Clip Harnesses: Updated Reviews

2011-01-31T07:28:00.000-08:00

This past June, in a review of front-clip harnesses, I wrote:

"If you have a dog who pulls on leash, even occasionally, and you haven't discovered the miracle of the front-clip harness, I envy you the joy of that first walk, and the relief that will wash over your body, especially your shoulder."

It's time for an update. Reviewed previously and included here again are the SENSE-ation, Easy Walk, and Sure-Fit harnesses.

New to this review are the Walk Your Dog With Love harness

Walk Your Dog With Love harness (size L)

and the Wiggles, Wags & Whiskers Freedom No-Pull Harness.

Freedom harness (Deluxe Training Package version, size L)

Both the Walk Your Dog With Love harness and the Freedom harness are made in the USA.

What the Walk Your Dog With Love harness has going for it is simplicity. There is one buckle. No legs need to be lifted. The harness simply goes over the dog's head and clips under the torso. There are only two adjustments points: the front and the belly strap.

The front strap is adjusted very easily by simply lengthening or shortening it. Because of the harness' design the front clip doesn't loosen as you walk, as Premier's Easy Walk harness does. If you have a strong puller, the Easy Walk becomes looser as you walk, making it easier for Spot to pull. Given the Walk Your Dog With Love harness's design, if anything, it would tighten. Thankfully, it didn't, at least not on test walks with various dogs. One reason for this might be the fabric.

The polypropylene webbing is hard. If you have a dog with short fur under the belly, this harness might chafe. According to the company website, the hardness of the fabric contributes to its effectiveness: softer webbing will stretch, thereby loosening the fit and rendering the harness less effective.

On the pro side, the polypropylene webbing, while hard, according to the website doesn't absorb water and so, doesn't become stinky. (In my experience, the Premier harnesses are the worst in this respect. I have washed one of my old Easy Walks multiple times, haven't used it in years, and it still really reeks. It's surprising that with it next to me I'm still upright in my chair!)

The buckle on the Walk Your Dog With Love harness doesn't feel quite as sturdy as those on other harnesses. That said, I tested it on a few different pullers and never had an issue.

While the simple design of this harness is part of its allure, I do worry a bit about canine Houdinis. The intersection of the chest and belly straps on the right side (if you're facing Spot) are sewn together. The intersection on the left side is sewn in a loop, designed to slide up and down to fit dogs of various chest sizes. It's an ingenious way to accommodate different body shapes. I do wonder, though, whether dogs who pull and squirm might be able to pull a leg through. Proper fitting is more of an issue with this harness than it is with the SENSE-ation, but seems much easier to achieve than it is with the Easy Walk.

The 3M Scotchlite patches on the sides and the front are a thoughtful safety feature.

And, the company supports rescue organizations, donating half of sales generated by shelters and rescues right back to the organizations (list of participating shelters/rescues). Now that's a good way to Walk Your Dog With Love!

The Freedom harness by Wiggles, Wags & Whiskers has two attachment points: one in the front and one on the back, which may be used in tandem.

The Freedom harness could not be more different from the Walk Your Dog With Love harness in terms of design. While not particularly talented at spatial visualizations, I don't consider myself challenged in this department. Still, when I look at this harness, I'm overwhelmed. It takes me a moment to figure out which way is up (the tightening loop goes on top and the nice soft Swiss velvet goes under the belly) because there's so much hardware, which in my mind, translates into more places to rub and chafe. And this is one of those harnesses where you either need to pass a paw through, or you need to buckle on both sides. If you choose the latter method, you have a long dangling strap which you need to pass under Spot and buckle on both sides. This means the harness is more likely to get twisted up, especially if Spot is squirmy.

The materials do appear to be top quality. The buckles and metal rings and adjusters feel durable. The webbing is nice and soft. The Swiss velvet lining feels terrific against bare skin and has stood up to a good snowshoeing trek, as well as everyday plowing through snow. It's doesn't smell at all (yet), but it has only been out on a handful of adventures (as compared to our regular use of the SENSE-ation harnesses over the course of years).

Wiggles, Wags & Whiskers sells a double-clip "training" leash to go with the harness. The handle on this leash slides to adjust to more pressure at the front or back clip.

The downside? The Freedom harness works according to different principles than other front-clip harnesses. In fact, according to the company website, use of the front ring is optional. In the company's original design, there was no front attachment.

The front-clip harnesses reviewed here work on the principle that when a dog pulls forward, he is taken off balance and must right himself, making pulling forward difficult. The front-clip on the Freedom harness sits much higher and doesn't take the dog off balance as easily. In fact, this harness didn't work at all on Tashi when she was excited about a new snowfall. She had more leverage in it than in any of the other front-clip harnesses. Some trainers have asserted that this harness was designed to work as an aversive tool, that the front attachment is placed at a sensitive point on the dog, making pulling uncomfortable. This is certainly the idea behind the loop on the back. If the dog pulls, the belly straps tighten. Obviously, this is no choke collar. It is unlikely that permanent damage will be done to the dog. Nonetheless, why use pain when you can use physics?

The Pros and Cons

Walk Your Dog With Love ($26.95)

Pros:

Doesn't use discomfort to control Spot
Very easy to fit
Easy on and off (single buckle, no paws to be lifted)
Reflective materials
Quick drying
Doesn't absorb odor
Supports shelters and rescues

Cons:

Hard polypropylene may be uncomfortable for shorter-haired dogs
Materials don't feel as durable as other harnesses
Must be fitted properly or some dogs may be able to slip out

Wiggles, Wags & Whiskers Freedom No-Pull Harness ($29)

Pros:

Quality materials
Extra soft belly strap
A ridiculous number of color choices (20!)
2 attachment points to choose from
Tabs to prevent straps from loosening
Can be fitted more loosely without risk of the dog slipping out

Cons:

Works by causing discomfort
Only works if your dog is unwilling to put up with the discomfort
Lots of hardware, creating a less than smooth (i.e. probably uncomfortable) fit
May be difficult for some users to put on

Premier Easy Walk Harness ($27)

Pros:

Widely available
Can be found for significantly less than the list price
Durable materials

Cons:

Works by causing discomfort
Difficult to fit properly
Needs constant adjustment on strong pullers due to slippage
Must be fitted properly or some dogs may be able to slip out
Stinks! (absorbs odor)
Company also sells shock collars

Premier Sure-Fit Harness ($16--$22)

Sure-Fit Harness w/leash attached in front

Pros:

Doesn't cause discomfort
Inexpensive
Versatile (can be used as a front-clip or traditional harness)
Can be fitted on a variety of body shapes
Can be worn less fitted without risk of dog slipping out
Available in a wide variety of colors

Cons:

Wasn't designed as a front-clip harness: is not as effective as some of the other front-clips
Has a lot of buckles and adjusters, which may not be so comfortable for Spot
Long bottom strap can be difficult to attach if you have a squirmy Spot
Stinks! (absorbs odor)
Company also sells shock collars

Softouch Concepts SENSE-ation Harness ($23.50--$28.50)

Pros:

Doesn't use discomfort to control Spot
Very easy to fit
Easy on and off (single buckle, no paws to lift)
Can be worn more loosely without risk of dog slipping out
Quality materials
Durable (looks new after years of use)
Soft belly strap
Tabs to prevent straps from loosening
Also available in a less expensive (SENSE-ible) version
Company supports dog-friendly, stress-free training

Cons:

Limited color options (4)
Can get stinky without periodic washing (In the product's defense, this is also the only harness that I've tested nearly on a daily basis over a course of years.)

Bottom line:
When Tomba and Tashi need harnesses, they wear SENSE-ations.

For more details about the SENSE-ation harness, see the original review.

If you have different experiences with the harnesses mentioned above or any others, please send us your comments (link below).

NB: In most of these photos, Tomba and Tashi are not wearing collars, so you can see the harnesses more clearly. If you do take Spot's collar off, remember to transfer ID tags to the harness. The Rubit dog tag clip makes it easy.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Choosy About Chews

2011-01-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

With today's high temperature being 8, and the windchill reaching into double-digits below 0, once again, Tomba and Tashi were stuck indoors. So far, each dog has had 2 training sessions (with a nap in between).

When we're training, depending on what we're working on, sometimes, I will have one dog hold stays while I work the other dog on more active behaviors, and then, switch. Today, since we needed the full space to work on jumps, fetching, and heeling, I gated the dog I wasn't working upstairs. (Yes, the dog who is not being worked needs to be gated away.) Both Tomba and Tashi eagerly await their turn. As soon as the gate opens, they race downstairs. This is the beauty of positive reinforcement training: The dogs want to work.

As I, too, have been spending less time outdoors being active, I am busying my mind with these blog posts. (Notice the big uptick in postings this month.) I can still get out and meet a friend for lunch, RUN errands, see movies, etc. Tomba and Tashi are largely stuck in the walls of this house. To help them while away the hours, in addition to training, I've been supplying their calories in more time-consuming forms. Yesterday, they had beef shanks from the butcher. Today, they had Bravo! tracheas. As Tomba has — mostly in the past — had a sensitive stomach, I've had to do my fair share of reading about nutrition and testing various products. Below are some thoughts on my findings.

Note: I am not a nutritionist. That said, veterinarians are not required to study nutrition either. Be a good advocate for your dog: read!

Bully sticks. Their prices are all over the map. What's the difference? Well, if you have a strong chewer, you already know that thickness is definitely a price determinant. Other factors include source (US or otherwise), free range, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, 3rd-party inspected, air- or oven-dried, smoked or not.

First, the smoke: Tomba and Tashi don't need any extra chemicals or carcinogens. They get dried, not smoked, chews. (One must wonder why smoking is necessary to get a dog to chew on a bone.)

If you've read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma" or seen "Food, Inc.," I don't need to tell you why I'm more inclined to choose grass-fed, hormone- and antibiotic-free, South American beef over beef from a CAFO. On top of the problems with disease and cruelty in CAFOs, it has been found that cattle raised in feedlots have significantly more saturated fat and reduced levels of Omega-3s. I have to say, though, the antibiotics alone are probably enough to convince me that, at least for Tomba (who is sensitive to medications, including FrontLine), South American beef is the better choice. There is a caveat here. While I prefer the South American grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free beef for my dogs, I do look for products that have been oven dried. Moisture in a trachea or bully stick allows for the growth of bacteria. With oven drying, moisture is removed more quickly and in a more reliable manner. Remember: these parts are not being refrigerated. Imagine air drying fresh meat until it dries out.

Choice chews in our house (all single-ingredient and all available from the wonderful Clean Run):

Bravo! Beef Tracheas: oven dried in a USDA-inspected facility. We've tried the less expensive Top Dog tracheas, which are air dried. They were very greasy (and quite smelly!). I couldn't help but wonder how safe it was that these aren't refrigerated. Perhaps the answer to my question: Tomba couldn't keep them down. We switched to Bravo! oven-dried tracheas, and everyone is happy.
Chewing time: 20 minutes for both Tomba and Tashi.
Moo! Free Range, Odorless Bully Sticks: dehydrated in facilities that are inspected by an independent US lab. Test results are posted for public viewing on the Free Range Dog Chews website. A good sign, I think.
Chewing time (for the 12" Monster): Approximately 40 minutes for Tashi; 60 for Tomba.
Icelandic Fish Skin Chews: rich in Omega-3s, very low in fat, and great for cleaning the molars.
Chewing time: Only about 5 minutes, but constant molar-cleaning action!
[1/26: Oops! Tomba and Tashi have pointed out that their mom underestimated their chewing prowess in this instance. Fish skins only last about a minute, but they do clean out the back-most molars.]

For more ideas on keeping Spot busy, see the previous post: Independent Projects for Spot.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Independent Projects for Spot

2011-01-18T18:18:00.000-08:00

Today was another day with winter storm warnings. Sleet and rain made travel hazardous, so it was another day that the dogs didn't get driven to their usual hiking spots. We don't have a fenced yard, so letting the dogs out to romp on their own wasn't an option. They got leash walks, but that was it. And I had things to do, so unlike yesterday, we didn't get to spend too much time exercising their brains.

What does one do when Spot can't get out for physical exercise and you don't have the time to exercise Spot mentally?

In the wild, dogs would spend hours hunting and scavenging for their daily ration. A dog who is fed her meals in a bowl might receive an equivalent number of calories but doesn't get nearly the same amount of mental stimulation from "acquiring" her food as does a dog who needs to stalk, chase, catch, and dissect, or a dog who needs to search out food sources and consider how best to access them while putting herself in the least amount of danger. (Just about the closest that Tomba and Tashi get to scavenging is running for the kitchen when they hear me exclaim — in general, a pretty reliable indicator that I dropped some food item. Fortunately, they both have reliable responses to "Leave it" and so, haven't eaten anything dangerous. Tashi is especially good. I'm able to throw cheddar cheese at her and have her leave it.)

Tonight, it took both dogs well over 30 minutes to eat half their meals. Why? The miracle of the Kong. If you don't have one of these, please please for the sake of your dog, RUN to the nearest pet supply store. These are the most practical, versatile toys a pup could have. And they're sanity savers for us humans. There's nothing like the peaceful "squeak, squeak, squeak" of a dog's molars rubbing against the sides of a Kong . . .

Knowing that I wouldn't be able to tire the dogs out physically or mentally today, I planned on having some projects on hand for them.

For their dinner, I stuffed chicken giblets into their XXL Kongs and froze them. The giblets were large enough that once stuffed into the Kongs and frozen were impossible to pull out. Each dog got a Kong and off they went to work on their independent projects. As they normally get raw meat as part of their meals, this was just a way to keep them working longer for their dinner. This morning, for their breakfast, their dad wedged their chicken necks into their Kongs. Waiting in the freezer, for their dessert tonight, are Kongs stuffed with plain yogurt, with crumbs from their jerky treats mixed in.

Other ideas for stuffing in Kongs and freezing:

ground meat or chunks that can be wedged in
peanut butter
canned dog food
cream cheese
liverwurst
kibble soaked in water or broth
mashed potatoes
healthy leftovers

Other independent project ideas:

marrow or knuckle bones: These can keep Spot busy for hours on end. Give bones too large for Spot to crack. These should be raw; cooked bones splinter.
bully sticks: These keep Tashi, a very aggressive chewer, busy for about 40 minutes and Tomba for up to 60.
deer antlers (it can take a while for Spot to get one "started," but once she reaches the inner goodness, she'll likely return for more)
various treat dispensing toys scattered throughout the house (assuming you have only one dog or dogs who are very good about sharing)
treats in cardboard boxes, yogurt containers, or other receptacles that you won't mind Spot destroying in the process of scavenging for her meal

Treat Spot to an independent project, or 2. She'll pay you back generously with some peace and quiet.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Activities for a Freezing Day

2011-01-17T09:38:00.000-08:00

This morning it was -2, with a windchill of -12. Tomba's paws were freezing before he had time to finish his business. He kept picking up one paw then, another. He came trotting back into the house. This is a boy who does not like to miss a hike. We've been known to be out there when the temperature is in the single digits. It's rare that we miss his morning hike. Today is going to be one of those days.

So what does one do when the weather — or a medical issue — rules out outdoor exercise as an option?

How about working that brain? Last month, Elsevier's online journal "Behavioural Processes" published a paper by researchers John Pilley and Alliston Reid on the receptive language abilities of their Border Collie Chaser. Chaser learned and retained the names of 1,022 toys, a better retention rate than Chaser's humans! More on Chaser in a separate post. My point here is that our dogs are a lot smarter than we give them credit for. And how bored they must be when we don't challenge their brains! Imagine not being able to pick up a magazine or book or surf the Internet or listen to music or watch a movie or pick up the phone and call a friend.

Our dogs are at our mercy for entertainment. If we choose to do nothing with them, they basically get to do nothing.

I am very pleased to report that the writing of this post was interrupted to do exactly what I'm about to describe.

Both dogs are now lying contentedly in their beds. Why?

They normally go on an hour-long hike each day, or in Tashi's case, sometimes a trail run, but neither went anywhere this morning. Instead, they each had their own training sessions. For Tomba, we did a little confidence building. He has always been a bit on the timid side, so training sessions for him are about rewarding independent thought and definitely "brave" behaviors, such as pushing through the hanging mesh "door" of the soft crate. How do you reward for independent thought? Play shaping games! Tomba adores shaping games. Since he was a pretty young guy, we've played games where he is rewarded for offering different behaviors. We taught him to go to his bed using this method. He learned to be happy pushing through the hanging mesh curtain into the soft crate this way. Because he could manipulate the mesh curtain to his gain, it was no longer a scary object.

Shaping "look left":

1. Have clicker and treats ready.
2. Give some indicator that the game is on. Tomba's indicator is "Let's shape!"
3. Watch for any tiny flicker of movement towards the left. For many dogs, this will be a tiny flicker of the eyes in that direction. Click! And treat.
4. Click any small movements toward the left. This can be a small eye movement, an ear flick, or a turn of the head. C/t a few times, even for tiny, tiny movements.
5. Now, try waiting for something just slightly larger. If you were getting eye movements before, wait for Spot to hold it just a fraction of a second longer, or for a teeny, tiny head movement. C/t.
6. Reward a few times for each increase. Then, wait for a slightly larger movement. Even if Spot suddenly turns his head completely, keep rewarding for the smaller movements. Odds are the head turn was an accident. C/t the head turn, but keep clicking for smaller movements and progress slowly.
7. When Spot starts to offer head turns, start to give your cue, "Look left," as Spot is moving his head. C/t when the turn is complete.
8. Gradually, start giving the cue earlier, until eventually, the cue comes before the behavior.

As with all training, stop before Spot gets bored. And let him know when you're done: "All done."

If you and Spot are new to shaping, reward frequently and keep it short. Until Spot understands the game, shaping can be frustrating, especially if Spot is accustomed to being told what to do.

You can play shaping games to teach Spot to do just about anything. One day, Tomba and I worked on him putting a paw in a box. Anything that involves putting himself in an unfamiliar situation is great confidence building. One day, while I was considering what we might work on, he picked up a weave cone that I had been using in a training session with Tashi and brought it to me. Good boy! In a previous training session, we had been working on shaping a retrieve. He learned to go get, first, a toy, then, a glove, and then, an umbrella. Clearly, he absorbed the lesson, as he was now bringing other objects.

Each time Tomba learns a new behavior, you can see the sense of accomplishment on his face. (You can also see it in the big, happy wiggle of the entire back half of his body.)

Learning new behaviors helps increase a dog's sense of accomplishment and confidence. The behaviors can also help calm Spot when he is in a scary situation.

The vast majority of dogs who behave aggressively do so out of fear. Boosting confidence boosts stability. (For more on fearful dogs, see trainer Debbie Jacobs' website FearfulDogs.com.)

Tomba and I were in Maryland at Pat Miller's Peaceable Paws training center and there stink bugs everywhere. It was the end of a long day, and I just wanted to go collapse in my bed at the hotel. I couldn't get Tomba to move towards the car. He had a nasty run-in with a swarm of yellow jackets when he was a pup, and since then, understandably, has a terrible fear of insects. There had been bugs in the car, and now, Tomba was paralyzed with fear halfway between the training center and my car. His eyes were big and nothing would distract him, not even the bag full of cheese and buffalo jerky I brought for our training that day. He wouldn't even move away from the car. He was stuck. I was stuck, until . . . I recalled how much he loves his Rally-O moves. He loved training these, and to this day, Fronts and Finishes make his tail wag. I had him make circles around me, sitting in front of me and swinging around into heel position, sitting in front, and swinging around, and this way, we made our dizzying but happy way to the car.

Have fun training! You never know how handy certain behaviors may prove to be some day!

Tashi, after her training session

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Competition: Not Just About Ribbons

2011-01-13T11:02:00.000-08:00

While Tashi's photo with her Rally-O ribbons made — and in fact, was — our family's holiday e-card, I have been remiss in posting her photo here. So, finally:

In December, Tashi and I set foot in a competition ring, a first for both of us. I never thought I would compete. I thoroughly enjoy training with my dogs, but I've always thought that to keep training fun for both my dogs and me, I needed to stay out of the competition ring and focus on my own personal goals.

Well, Tashi and I took a couple of APDT Rally Obedience classes at High Goal Farm with the terrific Tara Baggerman, and there, I met a wonderful group of people who not only were thoroughly supportive in class, but also encouraged me to enroll Tashi in a trial.

Thank you, Tara, Karen, Dottie, Hope, Dave, and Susan!

And so it was that Tashi and I found ourselves in the competition ring this past December. Tashi has always been somewhat motion sensitive and can be reactive to fast-moving dogs. At the trials, there were 2 competition rings side by side, with dogs' crates lining both ends of the facility ringside. We had our work cut out for us.

During our first trial, it was clear that we were both nervous. (Look at that face! Tashi's ears are not normally that flat, and it usually takes quite trying circumstances to put a furrow on her brow. Compare this to her photos in the snow in the previous post.)

I repeated a few cues unnecessarily and fumbled around with the leash and my movements, muddling my signals to Tashi. Confused by my unclear body language and distracted by all the commotion, Tashi turned her head this way and that and wasn't as attentive to me as she normally is. Somehow, we managed to come away with 3rd place and a ribbon in happy yellow. We weren't the only ones who were nervous during that 1st trial of the weekend.

By that afternoon, our nerves had settled a bit, and we earned ourselves 2nd place in our 2nd trial. I was especially proud of Tashi, as she spent much of the day waiting in her crate. While she loves her crate at home and goes in of her own accord every night, she wasn't accustomed to being crated elsewhere. On occasion, she has been crated when we've been traveling, and for a few classes and workshops she has been crated in between working sessions, but it's by no means a regular occurrence. Good girl for taking it in stride! (We're now working on making this a more common practice.)

The next morning, Tashi pranced into the ring as if she had done that all her life. We came away with a blue ribbon and Tashi's first Rally-O title — with Excellence, thank you very much!

And, as Tashi earned her RL1 title in the morning, that afternoon, we advanced to Level 2, which is performed off leash. While we waited at the start line for the judge's go ahead, it was clear that something directly behind us had a hold of Tashi's attention. She kept looking back over her shoulder. I kept my own eyes and shoulders pointed forward, rather than direct any more energy behind us. When I had as much of Tashi's attention as I felt I could gather at that point, I set off. I did my best to keep my voice upbeat, as if we were headed for the time of our lives. This was how we normally trained, turning everything into a game, and it worked. After a few stations, Tashi tuned in. I directed her to the jump, and she quickly overtook me, but, on cue, returned immediately to my side. Yay, Tashi! She even turned away from the puppy (now I saw what held her attention at the start line!) and trotted beside me, through our turns and weaves, and away we came with 2nd place.

And away I came with a different view of competition. It isn't all about the ribbons, though, admittedly, it was quite fun to come home with them. The trials reminded me that training can be fun and still exacting. Heeling through weave cones requires a bit more coordination than heeling in a straight line. If there’s no communication, you keep bumping into one another, especially if your teammate is as quick as Tashi. It's not that I care whether her shoulders are square or not when she sits and downs, or whether her rear hovers just over the ground when we pivot 45 degrees to the left, but working toward tightening certain moves forced me to clarify my signals and Tashi to heed subtle differences. Our communication reached a deeper level.

There was much to learn, as well, outside of the ring. Tashi was visibly nervous about being in this place with dozens of other excited dogs for this mysterious event. (Can you see the concern on her face?)

Adrenaline was in the air. My own heart was racing. How could I help Tashi feel more comfortable when clearly this was no normal day? It's important for dogs to learn to relax in different environments. It helps minimize stress when there are changes to their routines. At the trials, dogs were crated side by side along the ring, so dogs were continually passing by Tashi's crate. She is not fond of quick motion near her, let alone when she is crated and feeling trapped. We worked on counterconditioning (for dogs with fears/sensitivities, see Nicole Wilde's book "Help For Your Fearful Dog") her to the quick movement back and forth, and eventually, she even rolled belly-up by the ringside. For me, Tashi that happy amidst all the hustle and bustle was the best measure of our accomplishments. As for Tashi, she does look quite pleased with herself with all her ribbons, though, doesn't she?

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Snow Day!

2011-01-13T09:14:00.000-08:00

Tashi plunges right on in.

Things get deep in places.

Not to worry. Tashi has a talent . . .

for finding . . .

lost toys!

And for bounding in deep snow.

She also likes to lounge in it.

Her brother is much more cautious, sticking to the path that Tashi has carved out for him.

Eventually, even he can't resist offering a little smile.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Puppy Socialization

2011-01-03T14:15:00.000-08:00

When More Isn't Better

It is estimated that the average puppy learns more between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks than she does over the remainder of her life. In addition, the learning that a puppy does during this time, called a critical or sensitive period, informs the way her brain grows. For instance, puppies whose visual senses are stimulated during the critical period develop more neural connections dedicated to eye function. Imagine the implications of good social interaction.

Aim to introduce Spot to 100 different people in her first 100 days of life, a goal recommended by Dr. Ian Dunbar, founder of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. If the shelter or breeder from whom you acquired Spot did not introduce her to many strangers, it’s time for you to get busy! Puppies properly introduced during this period to many different kinds of people, of different colors, ages, sizes, and mobility, are more likely — to the degree that their genetics allow — to grow into sociable adults. Special attention should be paid to introducing Spot to men and children. Men, with their deeper voices and larger builds, and children, with their erratic movements and loud vocalizations, can be frightening to dogs who have not had a sufficient number of good experiences with them.

While it is imperative to introduce Spot to new experiences during the critical period, it is crucial that the introductions be done in a manner enjoyable by Spot. Experiences — both happy and scary — that take place during the critical period can have lifelong influence. Spot is forming her worldview. While being surrounded by the entire third grade soccer team might be an overwhelming experience for Spot and might create in her a lasting fear of children, having one or two youngsters at a time pet her and offer her tasty treats could be a welcome, positive introduction to the sounds, movement, and energy of children.

Brief, positive interactions with other puppies and dogs will help Spot develop into a dog-friendly adult. Interactions should be limited to a couple of minutes at a time. Puppies, like human children, can become increasingly aroused by play, and play may then devolve into rude behavior.

If you are interested in enrolling Spot in Puppy Kindergarten, ask the trainer if you can watch a class before you enroll. Puppies should be separated into small groups by age, play style, and/or size to facilitate appropriate play. Interactions should be carefully monitored. Polite play should be interrupted while it is still that, and rewarded. The trainer should be excellent at reading body language and quick to intervene if need be. Dogs, like any species, will repeat behaviors that work for them. If Spot is feeling a bit anxious about the rough play and she discovers that she can create some space for herself if she growls and bares her teeth, she will repeat that behavior. Likewise, if Spot becomes overly aroused and has fun bowling over the other puppies, she will continue to practice that behavior. While the unsuspecting parent might find unruly wrestling amusing in a puppy, it will be far from amusing in an adult dog, and may lead to Spot having to be segregated from other dogs.

Remember that the goal with all socialization efforts is not mere exposure but the development of positive associations with new experiences. Spot should never be forced to approach anyone or anything. Force can lead to increased fear. Even luring Spot with a treat may not have the intended outcome. If Spot is lured closer with a treat, Spot may be so focused on the treat that she doesn’t notice how close she is to the strange person or thing. She may then swallow the treat only to look up and be alarmed by how close the scary person/thing is. A better approach would be to allow Spot to investigate, as she is ready. Reward her for her bravery by tossing a treat away from the strange person/thing. Each time Spot approaches, toss another treat away from the person/thing. This way, the treat functions as a reward for Spot’s bravery, not a bribe that may mask her fear.

While you’re on a roll, during Spot’s critical period, and beyond, introduce her to as many different locations, sounds, objects, surfaces, moving things, other species, etc. as possible. This will help Spot develop into a more confident adult. She’ll have you to thank for it, and you’ll get to enjoy the easy pleasure of a stable dog’s company.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Beyond Words

2010-12-08T13:57:00.000-08:00

While in most situations, communicating verbally with our dogs works just fine, there are some situations where it would be safer if Spot were able to discern on her own from what’s going on in the environment how she should behave. Sound complicated? It’s not. In fact, you may have already taught Spot a situational cue. Many dogs will come running to the kitchen when they hear you open the pantry door, and, upon seeing you standing there with a food bowl in hand, they’ll sit without even being asked. They know the drill: “You in kitchen + food bowl in hand + Spot plants rear on floor = Happy belly!”

You can use other situational cues to your advantage to train safety behaviors. You approaching the front door, for instance, could be Spot’s signal to sit beside it. This isn’t just a fun and fancy trick. While you may know to watch Spot and make sure that she doesn’t dart out the door, your guests may not. Or your children may forget. Teaching Spot to interpret a person approaching the door as the cue to sit beside it just may save her life.

Next time you and Spot are headed out for a walk, approach the door and ask her to sit. Keep an eye on her as you reach for the doorknob. If at any point she gets up, take your hand back to your side and ask her to sit again. If she remains sitting, reach for the door. If she holds position, begin to open it. If Spot gets up, close the door and start over. Talking should be kept to a minimum, so Spot can focus on the relationship between her behavior and the consequences. If Spot enjoys the outdoors, she’ll deduct pretty quickly that sitting makes the door open faster. Once she’s able to remain seated until the door is open, invite her out with a jolly “Let’s go.”

Repeat this exercise every time you and Spot are headed out. At the end of the week, go to the door, but don’t ask her to sit. Stand there, hands at your sides, without speaking. If Spot sits, praise her and immediately begin to open the door. As always, be ready to close it again if she gets up. If Spot doesn’t sit, wait silently for a minute. Give Spot a chance to think on her own. Avoid the temptation to say “No.” The goal here is for Spot to be responsible for her own actions, so she knows what to do when you’re not there. If Spot doesn’t offer a sit on her own after a minute or so, ask her to sit, then proceed as normal.

It may take some time to transfer the behavior from one that you need to ask for verbally to one that Spot offers on her own based on the situational cues. Dogs who have grown accustomed to being told what to do may need more repetitions before it occurs to them that they will be rewarded (with the opening of the door) for thinking proactively and sitting even if they weren’t explicitly asked to do so. Worry not: If Spot enjoys the outdoors, she will have the motivation to figure this out. And with practice, you’ll have a dog who will sit by the door even if you’re busy chatting on your cell phone as you open it.

Practice at all exits, so Spot understands that the rules apply at every door that leads outside. Remember to include the car doors. And remember, too, to give yourself a pat on the back for safeguarding Spot’s life.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Inappropriate Chewing and Mouthing

2010-11-24T12:26:00.000-08:00

Dogs use their mouths the way we use our hands. It’s natural for a dog to explore her world, including her family, with her mouth. It's our responsibility to teach our dogs that it's inappropriate to interact with humans this way.

Chewing, like mouthing, is a normal dog behavior; it massages gums and cleans teeth, and it provides relief from boredom and stress. A dog's need to chew doesn't end with puppyhood. Dogs need to chew throughout the course of their lives.

Following are some steps we can take to help teach our dogs what's appropriate to put their mouths on:

1. Provide legal outlets

Supply Spot with a good number of toys (for teething pups: old washcloths soaked in chicken or beef broth and frozen; Nylabones; stuffed, frozen Kongs; plush toys to disembowel) and chews (bully sticks; deer antlers; raw soup bones that are too big to crack). If there are certain times of day when Spot is more likely to look for something to sink her teeth into, be proactive and offer her a toy or chew before she gets overly excited. If the item can be destroyed, supervise Spot while she enjoys it. Rotate the toys every day or two, so she doesn’t have free access to all of them at once. It will keep her interest in them fresh. If there’s a toy that Spot especially loves, keep that one aside for use as a special reward for good behavior.

2. Reinforce appropriate chewing

The more often Spot is rewarded for chewing on her own toys, the more she’ll come to think of her toys as good things to chew on. Treat-dispensing toys are a terrific vehicle for reinforcing the chewing of “legal” items. When Spot is playing with a toy that’s not a treat dispenser, you be the treat dispenser! Click and treat.

3. Stay calm
Shouting gets many dogs more excited. It can sound like you are barking out of joy at the fun game. Move slowly and calmly. If Spot mouths you, say “Ouch” in a calm voice, remove your clothing from Spot's mouth as calmly as possible, stand up, fold your arms, and turn your back to her. If Spot continues to jump and mouth, leave the room and close the door behind you. (It is preferable that you leave the room rather than that you remove Spot. Removing Spot generally requires further contact. Touch and talk can be viewed by Spot as attention, which for many dogs is rewarding. It is also generally quicker to remove yourself than it is to remove a wound-up Spot.) Wait about 10 seconds. The timeout should be long enough that Spot is unhappy that her playmate went away, but not long enough that she is able to find something else to entertain herself with.

4. Redirect towards “legal” items

If Spot gets hold of something she shouldn’t have, entice her with one of her own toys. Keep a few in every room, so that if Spot gets into something she shouldn’t have, you can quickly divert her attention to something she is allowed to play with. If Spot is tearing into a sofa cushion, squeak a toy, make high-pitched, repetitive sounds (ex. “Puppy, puppy, puppy!”), and run away. (Note: Puppies should not be encouraged to chase children.) As soon as Spot turns away from the item she shouldn’t have, praise her, squeak her toy, and throw it for her. Click and treat periodically while she plays with her own toy.

5. Be grateful for the growl

If Spot growls (outside of a play situation), she is communicating that she is uncomfortable. It’s your job to help her feel comfortable. Never punish a growl. Dogs who have been punished for communicating in this way may suffer their stressors in silence until they can no longer, and then, since the warning stage has been punished, progress directly to biting. So long as a dog is growling, she is communicating and giving opportunity for the situation to be remedied. Be grateful for the growl and remedy the situation to ensure that in the future Spot isn’t put in a position where she needs to say that she is uncomfortable.

6. Be patient
If Spot were still with her littermates, her littermates and mother would be giving her feedback about the strength of her mouth a few dozen times every day. It will take some time before Spot understands how delicate human skin is, and that she shouldn't touch it all. Remember that these are our rules. Dogs aren't born knowing our rules. It is our responsibility to teach dogs our rules.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

More Sleep, Less Stress

2010-11-10T09:16:00.000-08:00

Recently, a friend — let’s call Ben — complained that his two Pugs were waking him in the morning. As Ben doesn’t always sleep well at night, he could sometimes use a little extra time in bed in the morning. Ben is the type whose whole day can be thrown off when he is shortchanged of an hour or two of sleep, so for him this was a serious issue.

I knew, though, that Ben’s schedule is flexible, so it’s possible for him to take extra time in bed on those mornings after a restless night. If he could do that, there would be the potential for a normal rest of the day. The problem in his mind was that his snuffling, barking alarm clocks had no snooze button. When it was time to get up, the dogs knew it, and they were going to get him up. How did the dogs know what time it was? It was feeding time!

Ben’s routine was to get up and feed himself and his dogs, then do whatever he needed to do to get ready for his day. The solution? To build in a littler buffer period that would allow Ben to stay in bed longer when necessary. To do this, we had Ben change his routine so that he got up, did what he needed to do, and reserved the dogs’ feeding time for last. With this simple change, the Pugs were no longer concerned with when Ben got out of bed. He could get out of bed an hour later and still feed them “on time.” Everyone was happy.

As an added protective measure, we also had Ben make an effort (yes, he’s that kind of guy) to feed the dogs on a less exact schedule. If feeding time is at 9, feeding could — and should — happen sometimes as early as 8:30, sometimes as late as 9:45. When dogs are on a rigid schedule, it can be very distressing to them when there is a disruption.

Some degree of routine can be reassuring. That can be provided in the form of behaviors. When you put your hand on the pantry door, Spot should sit, or even better, go lie down away from the pantry. Only if she remains in position do you open that door. If she breaks position, you close the door, step away from the pantry, and re-cue her to position. Only if she holds does the food come out.

Rules guiding behavior provide dogs with a better form of structure than a strict schedule. Of course, it’s good to have an approximate schedule, but a half hour in either direction shouldn’t be a signal to Spot that life, as she knows it, is ending.

Dogs, like any species, will only repeat behaviors that are somehow rewarding to them. Ben’s Pugs knew that a snuffle here and a bark there would get Ben to fetch the food bowl in no time. If, when you’ve lost track of time, Spot whines in front of the pantry and you take the cue and go feed her, she will repeat that behavior, whining each time you are late (and maybe sometimes when you’re not!). If, however, you wait until Spot stops whining, gives up, and goes back to bed, then you feed her, she will not find whining to be a rewarding behavior. She may find lying in bed and looking pathetic to be rewarding.

Ignore the behaviors you don’t want to see repeated, and reward the behaviors you do want to see again. Spot will get the message. And you may get the extra rest you need over the holiday season.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Location, Location, Location

2010-10-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Not just relevant in real estate, location, it turns out, is important in learning as well. A recent New York Times article highlighted some classic studies on learning. In an experiment with college students, it was discovered that students who studied a list of forty vocabulary words in two different rooms, one with a view, the other without any windows, fared significantly better on a test than their counterparts who studied the vocabulary list twice in the same location.

Why? The authors of the study concluded that the brain makes associations between new information and sensory perceptions at the time. If the new information is studied under different environmental conditions, the information is further enriched by the multiple associations and neural connections, and therefore, is less prone to being forgotten.

Considering that dogs come to understand the world purely through sensory perception, location would seem a rather influential factor in their learning. And, in fact, we know that for dogs, new behaviors need to be practiced in multiple locations before it is understood that cues can have the same meaning in different locations. “Sit” doesn’t just mean: “Plant your rear such that you are between the counter and the fridge.” (The kitchen is arguably the location where sits are requested most frequently. Some dogs are only ever asked to sit in that room, and so, come to understand the word “sit” as a cue to plant themselves in a very particular spot, such as between the counter and the fridge.)

Even after practicing in different locations, many dogs continue to associate “Sit” not just with planting their rears on the floor upon hearing the cue, but with stepping in front of their humans first, before planting their rears on the floor. To them, “Sit” contains an element of seeing the face of the person requesting the sit. This is fine in most circumstances, but there may come a day when you need Spot to sit exactly where she is. (Think: on the wrong side of a busy road.)

If we only ever practice with Spot moving directly in front of us before sitting, when the day comes that we need Spot to sit right where she is, on the opposite side of a busy road, until the traffic subsides, it’s not going to be clear to Spot that she needs to plant her rear immediately, exactly where she stands.

To help Spot understand that “Sit” means “Plant your rear where you are no matter where I am,” practice sits when you’re standing, when you’re sitting, lying on the sofa, facing a wall, when you’re 3 feet away, then 4, then 2, then 5. Increase distance gradually and unpredictably. Difficulty should be increased only when Spot is performing correctly at least 4 out of 5 times. Working indoors is kindergarten level; working outdoors is college level. Start in a quiet place, then, gradually, work your way closer to the action. Reward correct responses with something Spot really wants at that moment: the opportunity to go sniff a tree, savor a tasty treat, or say hello to a friend. If you’re ho hum about Spot’s great responses, she will be too. Reward her like you mean it, and she’ll be just as pleased with her good behavior as you are.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Leash Walking in Acadia

2010-08-30T13:03:00.000-07:00

Tomba and Tashi spent their summer vacation on Mount Desert Island, Maine. On our daily hikes in Acadia National Park, we had plenty of opportunity to work on leash-walking skills. There were plenty of great smells that were just begging to be explored. Occasionally, there was a dashing chipmunk that called out to be chased. Both dogs were outfitted in SENSE-ation front-clip harnesses. This would help spare the humans’ shoulders in the event that the dogs decided to pull (which -- of course! -- they would not), and would spare the dogs’ tracheas in the event that either they or the humans they were attached to slipped on the hiking trails.

In some places, the trail was narrow. There, Tomba and Tashi got to practice sitting patiently on the side of the trail to give other people and dogs room to pass. In some places, the trail was rocky, and Tomba and Tashi practiced waiting patiently while their slow humans navigated their way up or down steep inclines. (In some places, Tashi availed herself of a wild blueberry or two.)

There’s nothing like the risk of falling down a steep, rocky incline to help you appreciate your dog’s good leash skills.

Tashi is a long-distance runner and so, walking at my pace can be very trying for her. It took a great amount of patience on her part to cooperate with me as we made our way along the various trails. Since she was on leash, we had to move boulder by boulder, meaning she frequently had to do a series of stays, when it would have been much easier for her to keep up the momentum and meet me at the bottom, or top, of the incline.

Treats for nice walking were much appreciated!

We made sure to take frequent rests and water breaks. The Ruffwear Quencher makes for a convenient, lightweight, packable bowl.

After our morning hikes, the dogs enjoyed taking in the scenery at our cabin.

As far as we know, Tashi had never been to the ocean or seen a boat. She seemed to really enjoy soaking in the scenery.

It was also a great opportunity for some confidence building for Tomba. He can be cautious in new situations. Here he is exploring the coastline by our cabin.

At first, the smell and movement of the seaweed frightened him. I let him explore at his own pace, and soon enough, he was in (at least enough to wet his toes). Unfortunately, he took a taste and decided that this water was blecchhy!

Afternoons were made for napping.

And, by each evening, everyone’s paws were tired.

Recipe for Health & White Teeth

2010-08-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

They don't call me Oral Hygiene Girl for nothing. I am proud of my dogs' white teeth, and I am not ashamed to say it. Look at those pearly whites!

In 3 months, Tomba will be 6 years old. Those are some mighty nice teeth for a 6-year-old who doesn't get to chew on bones (he has a sensitive stomach), and who has never had his teeth cleaned by a vet. Yes, I brush them periodically (though, I am sad to say that I have been remiss about doing this for months now), but for the most part, Tomba just has nice teeth. So does Tashi. I have to say, though, her teeth were not as white when she was eating dry kibble for one meal a day, and a home-prepared meal for the other. Looking at Tomba's pearly whites made me feel guilty enough to try and make time to ensure that Tashi has 2 home-prepared meals a day just like Tomba does. I started feeding Tomba home-prepared diets because of his food sensitivities. Then, I saw the results: shiny coat, white teeth, smaller stools, etc.

Shiny coats

Minimal tartar buildup on almost 6-year-old chompers

Tomba and Tashi eat a variation on the following 2 diets:

Dr. Richard Pitcairn's Doggie Oats
5 cups raw rolled oats (about 11 cups cooked)
3 lbs (6 cups) raw turkey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup cooked vegetables
6 T Healthy powder*
4 tsp bone meal
10,000 IU Vitamin A (unnecessary if using carrots)
400 IU Vitamin E
1-2 garlic cloves, minced

Dr. George Glanzberg's Recipe for Dogs
1 lb brown rice
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
2 T veg oil
2 lg eggs
1 ground egg shell
1 lb lean beef chuck
1/2 cup cooked broccoli
1/2 cup cooked carrots

[1/24/11: Both vets emphasize variety. Grains and vegetables should be rotated to ensure a variety of vitamins and minerals. Before switching your dog to a fully home-prepared diet, it is advisable to read at least one book on nutrition. Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats contains both recipes and thorough, yet comprehensible, analysis of the ingredients in the various recipes. For instance, vegetables high in oxalic acid, such as spinach, can block calcium absorption, and so should be limited.

For further information on home-prepared diets, see:

Mary Straus' excellent website DogAware, where you will find articles previously published in Whole Dog Journal
Lew Olson's recipes and newsletters on her site B-Naturals]

As Tomba and Tashi are both very active -- when they're not napping! -- (Tashi's typical week includes about 30 miles of hilly trail running over 3 days, 9 miles of hilly hiking over 3 days, and about an hour of chasing around with her canine pals on her day of "rest"), I feed them a higher proportion of meat or fish to grain. They also get a bit of plain yogurt every day, and their meals are supplemented with apple cider vinegar and alfalfa and kelp powders for trace nutrients.

Now that Tomba's stomach is better, we are starting to rotate grains. There was a time when having no grain, and then, only oats made a huge difference for him, physically and behavior-wise. Oats are much easier on the stomach than most other grains; they are also gluten free and are believed to boost serotonin levels. Tashi enjoys a variety: oats, brown rice, bulgur, kasha, millet, etc.

Protein sources are rotated as well. Now that Tomba's stomach is better and he is interested in raw chicken, Tashi is having to share. They both love their chicken necks and livers, which we get from Hidden Pasture Farm, a terrific organic farm right here in Pownal. [1/24/11 update: Sadly for us, Fiona and Seth, formerly of Hidden Pasture, have left Pownal for greener pastures.] The dogs also get beef, turkey, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and occasionally, pork. Meats are fed raw. (Freezing the ground meat in ice cube trays can make meal planning easier.) When using pork, I freeze it for at least 3 weeks to kill parasites.

As for veggies, lucky dogs, they get whatever the humans don't get to quickly enough, which generally gives them a good variety of in-season, organic veggies from Mighty Food Farm, also of Pownal.

Oats, eggs, carrots, cukes & zukes, with ground beef

*Dr. Pitcairn's Healthy Powder

2 cups nutritional yeast

1 cup lecithin granules

1/4 cup kelp powder

4 T bone meal powder

1,000 milligrams Vitamin C (ground) or 1/4 tsp sodium ascorbate (optional)

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Ottosson's Dog Trubble: Training Day 3

2010-08-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

When you last saw us playing with Nina Ottosson's Dog Trubble, it was Day 1 of training Tomba and Tashi to use it. Since that review, 10 days ago, the dogs had one brief encounter (maybe 6 tries each) with the puzzle. Today, I had Tomba try again. The first 2 times, I put the peg right at the opening, so he'd just have to lift. By the 6th time, he was sliding the peg through the groove pretty smoothly. Then, he lost some ground and started tugging up again. Nonetheless, he gained quite a bit of speed, and he learned to hold the board down with his paw. The video below was taken after he had 2 dozen warm up tries.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Stress Signs

2010-08-03T19:12:00.000-07:00

Can you spot the stress signs?

Although we've been standing at this spot for a little bit, Tomba suddenly feels the need to sniff the ground under his feet.

Still uncomfortable, he decides to turn his whole body away.

Tomba is trying so hard to look away that you can see the whites of his eyes. Sue Sternberg coined the term "whale eye" to describe eyes averted so far that the whites show.

Next, we get a little lip lick. (Note the ear position.)

And now, though he hasn't changed locations, he has turned his head in the opposite direction, still avoiding looking my way.

Note how wide his tongue is and how far it's extended. His brow is tensed, there are ridges around both his mouth and eyes, and his ears are pulled back. He's panting very hard for how little he's moved in the past few minutes. Notice, too, how stiff his elbows look.

Averting his gaze didn't make the scary thing go away, so now, he's turning his neck and head to the right.

And to the left.

And back to the right, with his tail down low. (In the 3rd photo, his tail is still up at about half mast, a touch lower than his usual carriage.)

In just a couple of minutes, Tomba has displayed a series of stress signs.

The reason? A camera pointed at him.

Do you have difficulty getting your dog to look directly at the camera? Many dogs are not too keen about having that large "eye" gazing directly at them. Remember: In the world of dogs, it's rude to make direct eye contact. Most dogs learn to accept the fact that we humans don't know any better, but just because a dog tolerates something doesn't mean he likes it.

Learn to recognize signs of stress in your dog. Scratching, yawning, and stretching out of context can also be signs that Spot is not too pleased with his situation. He might also respond by not responding (ignoring your cues), or by moving extremely slowly. These are all signs of stress, not signs of defiance or dominance. Help Spot feel more comfortable, and you're more likely to get more compliance. Remember: If Spot learns that listening to you makes good things happen, he's all the more likely to do it again.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

To Have and To Train

2010-08-03T15:38:00.000-07:00

On July 18, biologist and world-renowned exotic animal trainer Ken Ramirez captivated the attendees of a Dogs of Course seminar at Worcester State College in Massachusetts. With the auditorium filled close to capacity, Ramirez held forth on a number of fascinating topics, including how training can be utilized in zoo and aquarium settings. When Ramirez joined the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, where he is currently Senior Vice President of Animal Collections and Animal Training, he proposed implementing a training program for the sharks. The sharks' caretaker was not enthused. In her mind, sharks did not need training.

It could certainly be argued that sharks in the wild don’t need training, but sharks in captivity deserve it. Training is not just about shaping an animal into a more pleasant companion; it is an essential element in an animal’s health regimen. Data shows that the intense stress of capture can lead to a series of physiological changes in a shark that can result in death. In lesser situations, there is the risk of physical trauma to tissues and organs. Luckily for the sharks at the Shedd, trainers not only condition animals to accept medical procedures, but teach them to present themselves voluntarily for them; there is no struggle involved. Sea otters are taught to target their noses to a small buoy (consequently trapping their teeth in their closed mouths). Because these animals have been heavily reinforced for these behaviors, they perform them when cued to do so, minimizing the stress of medical procedures. Such careful management of an animal’s stress levels can dramatically increase the animal’s lifespan. At the Shedd, they have learned that minimizing stress levels in a sea turtle can increase the animal’s lifespan by 7-8 years.

Could the sharks and sea otters have otherwise been forced to comply with the procedures? Perhaps. Could we force a dog to accept veterinary procedures? Sure. But there is a cost: both to the dog and to the human caretakers, as well as to the relationship between them. By teaching our dogs what is expected of them in various circumstances, we can help minimize their stress. On a deeper level, we can use the process of training to enrich our relationships with our dogs. A friend recently remarked that her dog didn't "need" training because he’s already so well behaved. This is a common misunderstanding: that training is merely about "fixing" unwanted behaviors, and that it’s something onerous thrust upon the poor animals. Training entails and accomplishes so much more than "fixing" behaviors, and done properly, is something that animals enjoy. In the process of training, both they — and we — learn how to communicate with another species. Think of training as playing charades with your dog. Did my dogs "need" to learn how to bend their elbows and take a bow on cue? Probably not, but they certainly loved the challenge of figuring out what I was trying to communicate. When training is done in accordance with the principles of positive reinforcement, dogs adore it. And we both emerge with a better understanding of the other. We also both practice patience and cooperation, cornerstones for a good relationship. And isn’t that why you brought Spot home?

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Review: Ottosson's Dog Trubble

2010-07-28T13:41:00.000-07:00

It's here! Nina Ottosson's Dog Trubble has arrived!

I was going to wait until Tomba's birthday in the fall to get him his next Nina Ottosson toy (he also has the Tornado), but we're vacationing in Maine in August, and I thought it would be great to be able to bring along some toys in case of bad weather.

(Who am I kidding? It's extremely rare that Tomba and Tashi do not get a hike because of bad weather. OK, OK, I ordered the Ottosson toys because I love watching my dogs think. I confess! I find it tremendously fun!)

Dog Trubble comes with 5 wooden pegs. The pegs are hollowed out, so treats can be hidden inside. The pegs can only be lifted at the very end of the "maze."

The board itself has the feel of particle board, though, it's very heavy, and seems to be well built. The pegs, too, are reasonably hard wood. Both dogs chomped hard while trying to pull the peg from the board. There are tooth marks in the peg but not as deep as I would have guessed my 2 strong-jawed dogs would leave.

Since it's somewhat difficult for a dog to maneuver the pegs through the winding path, we started with just one peg at the very end of the maze. I showed Tomba the treat and then, covered it with the peg. Since he's more likely to use his mouth, I thought it would make the most sense to have the end of the path closest to him. That way, if he tried to pull the peg with his mouth, he would lift it towards him and out to reveal the treat. He did exactly that. We repeated this a number of times, with the peg all the way at the end of the maze, so all he would have to do was lift, and once he did, there was the treat. Once Tomba had a few tries, it was time to give him a rest. That would give him a chance to process what he just did and also get him motivated to want to try again.

I started teaching Tashi to play the game in the same way, placing the peg at the very end, so she just needed to lift to reveal the treat. As I did with Tomba, I placed the end of the path closer to her, so she could just lift with her mouth.

Once I started placing the peg just outside of the lifting area, Tashi started nosing at the peg, which pushed the peg farther away from the area where it can be lifted out. To help her, I turned the game around, so that the end of the maze (where the peg can be lifted out) was farther away from her. Positioned this way, Tashi would have to push the peg away from her in order to remove it. This way, she could use her nose, as is her inclination.

Notice in the video below that at first Tashi tries to pick up the peg immediately. She was initially reinforced for that. (Remember: I started by placing the peg in the spot where she could simply lift and get a treat.) After half a dozen or so times, I then started placing the peg an inch away from the release spot. (Depending on your dog, you may need to use smaller increments. If your dog is adept at these types of games, you may be able to get away with larger increments.)

Once Tashi reminded me that she likes to use her nose and I turned the game around so she could push the peg away from her rather than having to pull it towards her, it was much easier for her. The video below was taken after Tashi had probably about 20 tries at the game (alternating a few turns at a time with Tomba so neither would get bored or frustrated), starting with just lifting the peg. She's a pretty quick study.

Yes, those are Tomba's paws in the background. He is patiently waiting for his next turn. Neither dog wandered off in between turns. And, yes, that is an open treat jar sitting just to the right of the puzzle.

Tashi did get stuck at one point, pushing the peg the wrong way. When she did that, making the task far too challenging for a newbie, I helped her. (See the video below, where I push the peg back to the point where she's able to be successful.)

Once Tashi succeeded a few times at quickly pushing the peg to the end with her nose and revealing the treat, I called a break and let her and Tomba go take a nap. This way, they'll both be refreshed and eager to play next time.

When I do take the game out again, I will need to start at an easier point to remind them how the game works. As with other behaviors, I suspect that they will progress pretty quickly to the point where they were when we took a break.

While this might look like a silly game to some, I firmly believe that all learning contributes to my dogs' abilities to learn in the future. They love thinking their way through puzzles. When we are training together, they love trying to figure out what I am attempting to communicate. The more they use their brains to solve problems, the more capable they are at doing so. The end result? Both they -- and I -- view training together as another fun problem-solving game!

(Dog Trubble and other Nina Ottosson games are available from Pawlickers. I placed my order on the 20th, and by the 26th, there was the box waiting at my door. Great service from Pawlickers once again.)

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Finding a Good Breeder

2010-07-11T09:24:00.000-07:00

What to look for:

References. These are crucial. Anyone can develop an impressive website. Speak to others with dogs of the breed that interests you. Ask trainers and vets. They may be able to put you in touch with clients of theirs who have good ambassadors of the breed that interests you.
Limited availability of puppies. The breeder should be limiting the number of times per year that s/he breeds. A good, responsible breeder rarely advertises in the newspaper. His/her puppies will be in high demand. Often, the puppies will be spoken for before they’re even birthed.
Socialization. Puppies learn more about the world between the ages of 3 and 14 weeks than they learn over the rest of their lives. Responsible breeders work hard to ensure that the puppies are exposed to a wide variety of experiences (sounds, surfaces, people of various ages, handling, other dogs, other species, etc.) during their critical socialization period. Dogs should be part of the family, not isolated outside in kennel runs.
Specialization. Responsible breeders tend to focus on a favorite breed or 2. If the breeder’s website boasts a variety of breeds, the puppies may be coming from puppy mills and being sold through a puppy broker. Look for a breeder who is very knowledgeable about the breed, and active in breed clubs.
Generations of healthy dogs. Especially in large breeds, both parents should be certified free of hip dysplasia. Ask, too, about any known health issues (e.g., heart disease, thyroid disease, epilepsy, cancer) in the last 3 generations. AKC registration papers guarantee nothing in terms of health or temperament. They simply mean that someone filled out some paperwork and paid a fee. The breeder should be comfortable discussing genetic predispositions of the breed.
Eagerness to introduce you to at least one, if not both, of the parents, and, where available, other dogs in the same line. The breeder should be proud and want you to meet his/her dogs. The breeder should at least encourage, if not require, a visit from the entire family. All the dogs, including the mother of the litter, and puppies should be healthy and eager to meet you.
Rigorous interview process. If you feel like you’re getting the 3rd degree, this is a good sign! Responsible breeders want to know exactly how their pups will be treated once the pups leave their care. They should require in writing that you will spay/neuter unless you are purchasing a show quality pup and plan to actively show your dog. The breeder should also require a vet reference, and, if you rent, a note from your landlord and/or co-op board that you are permitted to have a dog. If you live out of state, the breeder should insist that you fly in to pick up your pup, so the pup doesn’t have to spend his first hours separated from his littermates huddled in a crate in cargo. They’ll want you to stay in touch. Good breeders will also require that you return the dog should you not be able to keep him/her — at any point in the dog’s life.

Want a specific breed AND want to rescue? Try breed rescue. This is usually a network of foster homes interested in a particular breed. The group works in conjunction with area shelters. When purebred dogs of that particular breed show up in a shelter, the group comes to evaluate the dog and see if they can place the dog with one of their fosters, saving the dog from being subjected to a kennel environment.

You can also register with your local shelters. Approximately a quarter of all dogs in shelters are purebred. Frequently, shelters will keep lists with people’s specific interests. If a dog shows up that sounds like what you’re looking for, you’ll get a call. (This is how the talented Tashi — not purebred — found her way into our home.)

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Identifying a Good Shelter / Rescue Group

2010-07-09T14:45:00.000-07:00

Looking to adopt?
Start by selecting a reputable rescue organization or shelter before choosing a dog. You may see some puppies or dogs listed on Petfinder that appear to be just what you are looking for. Remember that this is a decision that could change your life for the next 15 years or so. Puppy mills and puppy brokers have been known to pose as rescue organizations on Petfinder. Even legitimate rescue organizations and shelters are not all created equal. You will be reliant upon the organization both for honest and accurate information about the animal's history and for the staff's care of Spot before you bring him home, which will quite likely affect how easily Spot transitions into home life. Also, staff information about the dog's behavior while in the organization's care can be invaluable. Visit the facility or the organization's adoption events, preferably more than once, before adopting.

What to look for:

• Honest descriptions. Look at all the descriptions of the puppies/dogs listed by the organization that interests you. How are the dogs described? Are all the dogs in the organization’s care described as friendly with kids and other dogs? Odds are against this being true.

• Behavioral assessments. The shelter should have observed the dog in various circumstances in order to determine what type of home might best suit the dog’s needs. Results should be on file, and an adoption counselor should be available to discuss the results with you and answer any questions.

• Compassionate care. Imagine going from a loving home to a cage, surrounded by other stressed, caged individuals. Some dogs deteriorate quickly in a shelter environment. Good shelters do all they can to limit the amount of stress the dogs endure. For starters, the environment should be clean. Dogs should be provided with bedding, and enrichment opportunities (e.g., regular walk schedules, toys, bones/Kongs, maybe even training!). The less stressful the dog’s stay at the shelter, the more likely the dog will be able to make a successful transition into home life.

• Patience. Rather than pressuring you to adopt immediately, staff should be impressed with the care that you are putting into this decision that will impact your life, your family's, and the dog's for years to come. If none of the dogs in the organization's care is a suitable match for you, a good organization will take your information and contact you when they have located a dog who may be a good match for your lifestyle.

• Open return policy. You shouldn’t be planning on returning a dog you adopt, but should circumstances arise, the shelter should be willing to take back the dog at any point. In fact, better shelters require that you return the dog to them if you cannot keep the dog.

• Rigorous interview process. If you feel like you’re getting the 3rd degree, this is a good sign! Good shelters do all they can to ensure that each dog not only goes to a good home, but to one that is suitable for that individual dog.

• Waiting period. Better shelters will require that you wait at least a day before picking up your new furry addition to the family. This helps prevent impulse adoptions. It also gives the shelter a chance to check references and call the landlord to ensure that dogs are allowed in your building. It’s extremely stressful for dogs to go home with someone, only to be later returned to the shelter environment. This can contribute to the development of separation distress. A waiting period also gives you time to make sure your home is looking as welcoming as possible for Spot's big arrival.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Scary Peanut Butter

2010-07-09T06:58:00.000-07:00

My dog Tashi will eat anything. She is happy with a slice of carrot, a few grains of plain white rice, a chick pea. So, imagine my surprise when, weight tilted back, she approached to within three inches of the peanut butter treat I held in my open palm then, backed away. Tashi loves peanut butter. Tashi loves food. How did this happen?

We were on a hike, and Tashi had been happily taking peanut butter treats from me as a reward for not lunging when a squirrel or chipmunk scampered by. At one point, though, she turned her head just so, and caught her nose on the edge of one of my (not sharp) fingernails. It was a very slight scratch, but for the rest of the hike whenever I offered her a peanut butter treat, she would sniff from a few inches away, hesitate for a second, then, back away. She has taken hundreds of peanut butter treats from my hand over the two years she has been with me, and yet, a single slightly unpleasant experience, and she was ready to forego a treat she loves.

Dogs are far more likely to generalize a bad experience than they are a good one. Evolution has selected for this trait. A puppy might have five good experiences with strangers then, encounter someone who accidentally steps on the puppy’s paw. The experience that is far more likely to stick in the puppy’s mind is the single bad one. A dog is more likely to survive if he remembers all the things that might kill him. Knowing what didn’t kill him isn’t as important. This is an important fact for us to bear in mind as we train our dogs.

If your dog has a bad experience with a person, object, or other dog, it’s important to counter that bad experience with dozens and dozens of good ones. If your dog is now nervous around people, consult a professional with a firm grasp of learning theory. Changing your dog’s emotions towards strangers needs to be done through a systematic process called counterconditioning and desensitization. Depending on the level of your dog’s fear, merely exposing your dog to strangers may actually make her feel worse about them rather than better.

As for Tashi, in most situations she is confident and incredibly resilient, but she has a couple of quirky fears: plastic shopping bags and, apparently, a fingernail scratch to the nose. For the rest of that hour-long hike, she would take a venison treat from me but not peanut butter. All that over a tiny scratch to the nose. What would she have thought if she were inside a shock fence and, as she happily approached a child to say hello, got a jolt to the neck?

We’ll never know.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Front-Clip Harnesses: Power Steering & Brakes! for Leash Walking

2010-06-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

[1/31/11 Update: Also, see the January 2011 reviews.]

If you have a dog who pulls on leash, even occasionally, and you haven't discovered the miracle of the front-clip harness, I envy you the joy of that first walk, and the relief that will wash over your body, especially your shoulder.

I meant to write a post months ago, reviewing the various front-clip harness options available. Well, I've since been positively reinforced for procrastinating. In the interim since I first considered writing this post and now, Premier, the maker of both the Sure-Fit Harness (not designed as a front-clip, but can be used as one) and the Easy Walk Harness, which I was going to include in my review, has been bought out by a company that manufactures shock collars. For me, that makes the choice of best harness even easier.

Even before I heard the news that Premier had been bought out by Radio Systems Corporation, I had been leaning towards the SENSE-ation harness. Here's why:

-The SENSE-ation has tabs that were designed to prevent slippage. If you've used the Easy Walk, I know you know what I'm talking about. When a dog pulls in the Easy Walk, the straps tend to slip, making the harness looser and looser as you walk. It helps somewhat to throw the harness in the washing machine to rough up the fabric a bit, but it doesn't help enough. With the SENSE-ation, the tabs keep the harness adjusted to the fit you chose, not the one the dog is pulling the harness into.

-At least on Tomba and Tashi, I found the SENSE-ation easier to fit. Both my dogs are broad chested and so, need a decent amount of room in the front strap to allow them to sit comfortably. With the Easy Walk, if the front strap fit, the belly strap was too large. If the belly strap fit, my dogs couldn't sit comfortably.

-The SENSE-ation is easier to put on. There's just one buckle.

-The material on the belly strap is so soft. Dogs' fur can be much thinner in the belly region. Harnesses can get uncomfortable. Softouch Concepts, the maker of the SENSE-ation has considered this and thoughtfully made the bottom strap of a velvety soft fabric. In fact, the whole harness is made of a softer webbing than I've found on any other harness, an important factor if you have a sensitive child, as I do.

And now, with the news about Premier being bought out by a company that sells shock collars, the choice is really easy. The SENSE-ation wins paws down. (Note: Softouch Concepts also makes the SENSE-ible harness, a more economical model, which I did not test.)

For help with training a polite leash walker, see Melissa Alexander's excellent article: Loose Leash Walking: The Total Picture. (Note: I don't necessarily endorse all the other articles posted on the same site.)

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Canine Einsteins

2010-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

Who wants a smart dog?

Almost everyone, it seems. At least, most people think they do.

Let me tell you about a few smart dogs I’ve had the pleasure of living and/or working with.

"A" figured out that I liked my orchids. He also figured out that I did not like others touching my orchids. He would get my attention and then, prance over with his mouth open and stand, pearly whites ready to crush the magenta blooms. He knew I would drop whatever I was doing. He never actually touched the orchids, but he knew I wouldn’t take a chance. He was a few months old, and he had my number down.

"B's" homework was to do a series of puppy pushups (sits and downs in rapid succession). After a few repetitions, B, a dull look in her eyes, stopped complying and stared at me, as if to say, “We have already established that I know what those words mean. What is the purpose of going through these motions repeatedly?” She stopped working and gave this same look for other behaviors that she was supposed to be practicing in class. Once she mastered a cue and offered the behavior a few times as requested, she would offer a weary look if asked to repeat the behavior again. Given another cue, she would comply readily.

Within 30 seconds, "C" inferred that while I rewarded her for a tiny ear flick and then, for a quick glance without moving her head, what I really wanted was a turn of her head to the left. She figured it out in less than 30 seconds! And the goal had been a moving target! At first, I rewarded for an involuntary movement. If she could figure out where things were headed, starting with an ear flick, in less than 30 seconds (and she wasn’t even my dog!), imagine what went through this dog’s mind during the long hours while her people were at work and school.

Smart dogs are not for everybody. They require mental challenges to keep their brains busy. Left to their own devices, they will find outlets for their intellectual energy. And those outlets probably will not please you.

It’s no wonder then that "B" and "C" spent good portions of their early lives in shelters. "A" might have as well if he wasn’t adopted as a puppy and kept very very busy every day with multiple training sessions, long off-leash hikes, and hidden treasures (his meals divided into treat-dispensing toys), as well as multiple classes per year for his first three years of life, and then, annual brush-ups.

A canine Einstein may second-guess your requests and open your refrigerator or your front door. If this doesn’t sound appealing to you, when the adoption counselor or the breeder asks what traits you’re looking for in your new furry companion, consider whether "attentive" and "responsive" might be more appropriate answers than "smart."

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Car Seat Covers

2010-06-07T10:00:00.000-07:00

Tomba and Tashi hike every day. What that means for my car is a fresh deposit of mud and grit every day. Until recently, what it meant for me was climbing into the back of my car and stretching the car seat cover over one end of the bench, and trying to hold it down with my legs while reaching for the other end of the cover and trying to stretch that over the other end of the bench. Inevitably, as soon as I got one side on, the other would pop off. Or, when I finally got both ends on the bench and gave the OK for Tomba or Tashi to jump in, they would, and well, the seat cover would pop off, and all the grit that was on it, would slide off the cover into the crevices of the bench.

Enter the Kurgo Wander Hammock.

The Kurgo Wander Hammock can be used hammock style, as shown here, or you can just let the front drape down to the floor. (According to some reviews on Amazon.com, the center zipper doesn't always hold up if you have a large dog resting on the hammock.)

I can't say I tested the Wander Hammock for use as a hammock. I was thrilled enough to have something that would stay on the car seat. Car seat covers aren't of much help if they only cover the car seat when there's no dog, and slip off as soon as the dog jumps on. I've spent a small fortune trying to find one that stays on. Poor Tomba has found himself sliding around in the back seat, even when he's just been sitting still, or sliding to the other end of the bench when jumping in. This doesn't happen with the Wander Hammock. On the part that covers the seat back, there are grommets, so you can customize the fit to your car (assuming you have headrests in the back seat. If you don't have headrests, it won't work. If you do have headrests, it's a dream. It drapes across the seat backs nicely. Seat belts can remain where they belong, and even be used. There are openings in the cover to allow you to click seat belts into place. The openings are lined with velcro, so when the seat belts are not in use, you can seal them shut.

And best of all, the seat cover stays in place, requiring no readjustment from one ride to the next. This is no small feat. Tomba and Tashi together weigh 150 lbs. Tashi sometimes cannot decide which window the better scents are flowing from, and so there's a little bit of musical seats going on in the back (lots of fun when she is belted in with her Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Harness, another great Kurgo product, which Tashi is modeling below). Nonetheless, the Hammock stays on, and better yet, the muddy paw prints land on the Hammock, not on the bench.

The Kurgo Wander Hammock comes in black and khaki, both with orange trim. The black is smart looking (and would look terrific with a Rottie mix lying on it), but would probably get hot in the sun.

The Hammock comes in a neat little carrying case that has a pocket for a water bottle and is roomy enough to hold plenty of snacks for Spot.

Tomba and Tashi (and my Prius) are ready for our next muddy adventure!

[6/25/10 Update: While the fabric appears to be quite durable, the plastic clips and rings that attach around the headrest are not. I now have a broken ring on one of the straps. Fortunately, the seat cover has grommets up at the top, so if all the rings on the straps go, it's still possible to fashion an alternate attachment to hold the cover up on the headrests. Not perfect, but still the seat cover that best stays in place, at least that we've tested.]

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

The Kong Wobbler

2010-05-06T10:41:00.000-07:00

It's shaped like Nina Ottosson's Dog Pyramid. It wobbles like the Pyramid. It's the Kong Wobbler.

The Pros

It comes apart for easy washing, and is dishwasher-safe.
It's rather large and therefore not so easily chomped.
It dispenses treats easily and so, will keep dogs newer to treat-dispensing toys engaged.

The Cons

It's easy and so, dogs more experienced with treat dispensing toys will empty it in no time. (In photos, it appears as if the treat-dispensing hole on the Wobbler is high enough to make the toy more challenging, but the Wobbler actually has a very thick weighted bottom, so the dispensing hole is only about an inch from the bottom. If you fill the Wobbler with a meal's worth of kibble, it all tumbles out rather quickly. It doesn't help that the hole in the Wobbler is much larger than that in the Pyramid.)
While it is large and so difficult to fit into a chewer's mouth, the plastic doesn't feel nearly as durable as the Pyramid's.

The Verdict

The Wobbler is great for beginners (and for their humans who have to clean the toy), not so great for interactive-toy veterans who will empty it in a flash.

Tomba and Tashi will continue busying their paws with Nina Ottosson's Dog Pyramid.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Interactive Toys: Updated Reviews

2010-05-02T11:20:00.000-07:00

Tomba and Tashi have been hard at work testing interactive toys. In order to provide the most comprehensive reports, they have been conducting their research for years now: Tomba has been on the job for 5 years; Tashi joined the team 2 years ago.

Tashi is the head of the Durability Department.

Tomba is in charge of assessing educational value.

Here are their combined findings:

Most versatile toy:
Classic Kong

(Details below)

Best toy for experienced interactive toy users:
Nina Ottosson's Dog Pyramid
(Details below)

Best toy for dogs new/er to interactive toys:
Premier's Kibble Nibble

Best toy for dogs who like to eat and play:
Premier's Chuckle

[Original review of Premier's Busy Buddy line of toys.]

Individual Selections:

Tomba's Choice Award:

Nina Ottosson's Dog Tornado

Tomba enjoys using his sniffer, and showing off his smarts! "Bones" need to be removed before the separate trays will swivel. You might be able see and sniff a treat, but you can only get to it if you remove the obstacle (which may be on the other side of the toy). Tricky, tricky!

[Full review of the Tornado.]

Tashi's Choice Award:

This selection is under a bit of contention. Tashi was unable to choose between two toys. The first is the Classic Kong. Tashi values the Kong because it can serve as the delivery vehicle for so many different foods. For instance, a large Old Mother Hubbard biscuit snapped in half fits perfectly into an XXL Kong, and provides good chomping fun. An XXL Kong can also hold her entire breakfast of beefy oats with egg, or it can be filled with a mixture of plain yogurt and crumbs from various treat bags, and frozen to provide a refreshing snack at the end of a long day.

Barbara insists that Tashi is smarter than this and does enjoy certain mental challenges. Reminded of this, Tashi admits that, like Tomba, she does love playing with the Tornado. This would not be her top selection, though, because the Tornado can only be used under supervision, and she has to wait for a slow human to refill the compartments.

Tashi's other selection would be Nina Ottosson's Pyramid. This toy can not only hold a full meal, but also provides paw-slapping fun. Tashi enjoys flinging this toy from one end of the house to the other. She also enjoys sending it tumbling down the stairs. And, it's always fun to hunt for the kibbles that have been sent flying through the air. Tomba seconds this choice because sometimes kibbles are sent flying towards him. Barbara thirds this choice because it keeps Tashi occupied for longer. The only drawback? It's difficult to clean. A small price to pay, though, for a toy that keeps Tashi on her ever-dancing toes, and engages her underused brain.

[Full review of the Pyramid.]

Barbara's Updates on Other Toys

Nina Ottosson's Dog Dizzy

Initially, we gave this toy a thumbs-down. Compared to the Pyramid, it seemed like a similar but inferior toy. Indeed, the Pyramid is more rugged than the Dizzy. If, however, you have a dog who is not a chewer and/or once your dog understands how to use the toy, the Dizzy is a great addition to the toy box. Like the Pyramid, it has a weighted bottom, and so, doesn't roll in an expected pattern. Because of its different shape, it also doesn't roll the same way the Pyramid does. Now that both Tomba and Tashi have invested some time experimenting with the toy, they both approve. (Tashi has decided that the Dizzy can take the same paw slapping that the Pyramid can. It also can take a flying leap off the stairs the same way the Pyramid can. She has decided that while gnawing on it is not very satisfying -- or fruitful -- it is a fun toy.)

[Original review of the Dog Dizzy.]

Premier's Linkables

Tashi has reversed her vote on these toys, and now gives them a paws down because she is not allowed to use them unless she is being supervised. Although a Premier rep stated that the Linkables are made of the same rubber as the Busy Buddy toys, she also stated that these toys are not made for aggressive chewers. And, indeed, the Linkables are much more easily punctured than the Chuckle.

Barbara approves of the fun colors, but . . . finds that these toys are not designed for bright canine minds. Each of the shapes has a larger hole on one end. The idea is that you can attach a few pieces together to make a more challenging puzzle. Both Tomba and Tashi very quickly figured out how to detach the parts, and then, the whole treasure trove comes tumbling out the end with the larger dispenser. Not very challenging.

[Original review of Linkables.]

JW Pet Company's Sphericon
Not a toy to keep the canines busy for hours, but a fun way to deliver a biscuit. And it passes Tashi's durability tests, too.

Handed a biscuit, Tomba and Tashi would try to swallow it whole. Handed a biscuit stuffed into the Sphericon, they run off, tails wagging, to find one of their four beds in which to settle and enjoy their treat. Does it take more than a minute to extract the biscuit? Probably not, but both dogs savor their reward far more when handed a toy with a treasure inside than when handed a treat that will disappear down their throats in 2 seconds. They'll both work harder to receive the treat-filled toy and spend more time extracting the treat. Sounds like win-win to me.

[Original review of the Sphericon.]

Tomba and Tashi hope you have enjoyed their reviews. Now, they must get back to work with further testing. They are hoping to begin preliminary testing on Nina Ottosson's Dog Casino soon. Stay tuned . . .

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Charlie Murphy on The Dog Whisperer

2010-03-10T06:19:00.000-08:00

Strong language.

For more on Millan, see the earlier SPOT blog post:

Speaking Out Against the Whisperer

Tomba and Tashi, who serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine (and who are probably both of Rottweiler extraction) give a big bark out to Charlie Murphy.

Mutts: The Gold Standard

2010-03-02T07:02:00.000-08:00

Last month, the Westminster Kennel Club held its 134th dog show in New York City. This month, I think, is an apt time to sing the praises of mutts.

I admit that I am awestruck by the beauty of certain breeds: pale eyes set against the frosty luster of a Weimaraner’s coat, the dancing gait of the Boxer built of pure muscle, the sleek silkiness of a Saluki.

Beauty, though, can also be found in non-standard traits. What would be considered a “serious fault” in a purebred Rottweiler is precisely what many people find stunning in Tashi: eyes the color of orange blossom honey. And yet, across the board, AKC breed standards emphasize such arbitrary physical traits over temperament. Even the standard for the Border Collie, the world’s premier sheep herding dog — whose job is to work seamlessly with her handler — is largely devoted to the dog’s appearance, leaving only four sentences under the temperament heading, while allocating twenty-one to the appearance of the dog’s head.

Many who purchase a purebred dog for a family pet do so in the belief that they are receiving a kind of guarantee as to the dog’s temperament and/or health, yet the only “health” requirement that the AKC dictates is that the breeding stock be eight months of age or older. Breeding stock may come from lines that carry hip dysplasia or other genetic health problems. They may come from lines known for aggression or excessive fear. The AKC imposes no restrictions whatsoever with regard to temperament. Better breeders agree to take back their dogs at any time, so do better shelters and rescue groups.

In recent years, so-called “designer breeds” have come into fashion. As these are mixes of two breeds, conformation is a bit more difficult to dictate. Perhaps this is a sign that we as a society are beginning to question the arbitrary limitations we have set on beauty in our canine companions. Perhaps we are beginning to acknowledge the fact that severely limiting the gene pool in order to further breed standards has severe health implications.

I look forward to the day when those of us who keep our dogs for their wagging tails and willingness to follow us to the moon will have the option of choosing a variety of dog founded purely on these very characteristics. The breed standard would emphasize friendliness with a variety of species, tractability, patience with handling and mis-handling (think: children), acceptance of novel situations, adaptability to various levels of exercise. Perhaps there would be a few sentences devoted to appearance: “Coat may be long or short, curly or flat. Gums may be pink or black or splotched. Ears may hang like pendants or stand erect or anything in between. Height and length may be in any proportion provided that the dog’s mobility is not impaired and that a natural birthing process is possible. Muzzle should be of a length that allows for ease of breath.”

I expect that the perfect specimen will be found in a shelter. I will be looking. I hope you will be, too.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Training and Expectations

2010-02-25T09:05:00.000-08:00

As a trainer, my job is to help people teach their dogs new behaviors and modify some old ones.

Sometimes we humans get so focused on what we would like to change that we forget that our dogs are living, sentient beings with their own desires and predilections (and maybe even hopes and dreams, like catching that bird).

The video below is a remarkable testament to what dogs can accomplish when we humans let go of our expectations long enough to let them express who they are and how they might like to address things.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Humane Society's Spay Day Photo Contest

2010-02-24T14:11:00.000-08:00

You have 2 days left! Friday is the deadline to enter your pet.

The Humane Society's Spay Day Photo Contest celebrates the central role pets play in our lives, while raising funds -- and awareness -- for spay/neuter programs. And, you could win an assortment of prizes, including a trip to Hollywood and a photo session with Amanda Jones.

Don't have a photo you want to enter? Vote for Tashi!

Tashi serves as a fun and safety monitor at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Review: Premier's Pogo Plush

2010-02-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

Believe it or not, the advertising is true. Both dogs do "love it!" And, yes, indeed it is the new "favorite toy" of the household. The Pogo Plush has earned its labels. Under the fleece-y cover is a pliable rubber frame, which apparently feels great in the mouth. Tashi loves to bend it and let it bounce back and bend it and let it bounce back. Apparently, the joys of this simple motion are endless. It helps that there's a moving target (a squeaker freely moving around inside this stuffing-free toy; I've taken to buying more polyfill-free toys, so that I'll have polyfill-free floors). Tashi loves the challenge of the moving squeaker. She keeps trying to "catch" it in her grip. Normally, Tashi, aka Whirly Girl, is most contented with disemboweling toys. This one appears to motivate her to play differently.

And the joys are not lost on Tomba. He, too, joyously ran off with the Pogo in his mouth, gently closing his jaws and gradually releasing the pressure, closing and releasing. Someone in Premier's design department clearly got inside a dog's head. This simple motion is clearly quite satisfying.

We tested both the Small (4.5" x 2.5") and the Large (7.5" x 3.5"). Tomba generally likes smaller toys. In this case, however, the Large was definitely more popular with both dogs. The smaller version perhaps does not have enough volume to provide sufficient bounce back in its rubber frame. Far less satisfying!

It's not a rugged toy. It's not one that can stay out for independent play, but when it does come out, oh, the joy!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Busy Buddy Linkables: Puzzle Toys

2010-02-05T14:52:00.000-08:00

Tashi is sleeping right now. She just completed the tough job of trying out a bunch of new puzzles and toys. Someone's gotta do it!

First up: Premier's Busy Buddy Linkables, treat-dispensing puzzle toys that come in 3 shapes: Twist, Elbow, and Orb.

According to a Premier spokesperson, these toys are made of rubber, as are the Chuckle and Waggle. (It is odd that none of the print materials advertise this fact. Perhaps a subject for further investigation. Given how much time my dogs spend with interactive toys in their mouths, it would be good to know the materials are safe. If readers have any details to offer, please comment!) Like the Chuckle and Waggle, the Linkables have prongs on either end to make treat dispensing a little more challenging. The Linkables also have smaller holes in the shapes of stars. Tiny treats can come out this way. Larger treats must be shaken or bounced out of the prong ends. To add to the challenge, the various parts can be attached to one another to form longer puzzles.

We started with one piece each for Tomba and Tashi, just so they could see how the toy worked.

Tashi started with the Orb, but I switched her to the Twist. She could stick the bottom part of her snout into the Orb (she's 65 lbs), and she was in danger of pulling the prongs right off in the process of trying to extract the treats.

Tashi's M.O. with treat-dispensing toys is to first try licking, then, destruction. She did give the Orb some good chomps but did not leave any marks on it. Pretty durable!

Nonetheless, these toys should only be used under supervision. It is definitely possible for a dog to tear pieces off and choke on the rubber.

In the photo at right, Tashi is working on the Twist. With this toy, too, she tried to stick her snout in to extract the treats.

Tomba is much more methodical in his work with treat-dispensing toys. The photo at left was taken after he rolled the Orb, shook it, and extracted all the treats that would fall out. Then, he laid down to coax the remaining treats out with his tongue.

For this first trial, I used a mix of different treats to see what might work best with these toys. The mix included Itty Bitty Busy Buddy biscuits, Charlee Bears, California Natural kibble, and Paws Gourmet pumpkin and oat treats. The Paws Gourmet were way too small and tumbled out rather easily. For Tomba, all these treats in the Orb were a bit easy. (One end of the Orb has a much larger opening than either the Twist or the Elbow.) This was fine though. The goal was to have Tomba learn how to use the toy before increasing the difficulty, a very important step for dogs who are easily frustrated.

Premier does sell pellet-shaped treats that are said to be the ideal size and shape for these toys. (The primary ingredient is brown rice, to which Tomba is allergic, the reason we went with our own blend of treats.)

With both dogs interested in the toys, I decided to link the Twist to the Orb. Tashi did well with the treat blend we were using. She could shake the treats out at a reasonable pace. (When frustrated, she moves into demolition mode.) The level of difficulty was just right.

Veteran puzzle user that Tomba is, he played with the toy for a few moments and then . . .

. . . he succeeded in twisting the Orb and Twist apart!
It's true: the treats are much easier to extract this way, from a single puzzle part. Smart boy.

Now that there were two puzzle parts to be worked, Tashi thought that this was her cue to help herself to one of them. This did not sit well with Tomba, so Tashi was invited to wait in her crate while Tomba finished his turn with the toys.

The vote?

Paws up from both Tomba and Tashi.

They're looking forward to the next step: when they get to work the puzzle with all three parts linked together!

[2/7 Update: The Orb and the Twist have many pinhole teeth marks. I was beginning to wonder if my Whirly Girl was not feeling well. As marked, these toys are definitely not for aggressive chewers. Tashi has only used them under supervision. She's been interrupted whenever she's started chomping, and still . . .]

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Mind Spot's Mind

2010-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

Imagine being confined to your home with no TV, music, phone, Internet, magazines, books, games, or visitors. People walk by outside, but when you call out to them, they never stop to say hello. And when your loved ones finally do come home, they spend a few minutes with you, then, tell you to be quiet and settle down, while they eat dinner, watch TV, or read a book (and ignore you).

This is what life is like for many dogs: the same barren environment day after day. We humans get to go out to eat, meet up with friends, take in a movie. Even a ride to work at least provides different scenery. Our dogs spend the majority of their time looking out the same few windows. So, what can we do to help make their lives more interesting?

Many dogs enjoy a car ride, even if it’s just to run errands. The new sights and scents are wonderful! You shouldn’t take Spot along if it’s hot out, or if you need to leave him alone in the car and he gets nervous, but you could take Spot along if you’re dropping the kids off at school, picking up your spouse from work, or making a deposit at the drive-thru ATM.

Many of us remember our dogs’ physical needs, but forget that they require mental activity as well. Most dogs barely get to tickle their brains, let alone challenge them. At home, for starters, you could pick up that food bowl. Spot’s ancestors worked for their food. Use Spot’s dinner to reward him for showing you some sits, downs, or whatever else you both enjoy. If you feed dry food, load the rest of it into a Kibble Nibble by Premier or Nina Ottosson’s Dog Pyramid, or soak the kibble in some water or broth and freeze it in a Kong. If you don’t own a Kong, run to the nearest pet supply store! Kongs enable you to provide much more economical and healthy eating “projects” than rawhides. Ever wonder how they strip the fur off the hide so cleanly? Strong chemicals.

When you’re headed out, leave Spot with some projects. Hide a few different treat-dispensing toys around the house. This way, Spot not only gets to search for hidden treasure, but once he finds it, he’ll have another project. For reviews of treat dispensing toys, including Nina Ottosson’s toys and Premier’s Busy Buddies, search this blog.

Remember to provide chewing fun as well. Dogs of all ages need to chew. It’s how they explore the world, relieve stress, and also how they clean their teeth. Provide some “legal” chewing items. These can be food items as well as toys. More natural food choices include bully sticks, tendons, and dried fish skins.

And, finally, the best way to tire out that brain: Teach Spot a new trick. After a good mental workout, Spot will think lying quietly at your feet is a grand idea.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Himalayan Dog Chew v. Moo! Bully Stick

2010-02-03T16:07:00.000-08:00

Did they love the Himalayan Dog Chew? Yes, indeed.

Did I have high hopes for the chew? Yes, indeed.

The ingredients are simple: yak and cow milk, salt, and lime juice. Testimonies say the chew lasts for hours.

I admit it: Tashi is an aggressive chewer. I had my suspicions that we would not be enjoying hours of quiet chewing time. But I hoped . . .

As it turned out, not even Tomba enjoyed quiet chewing time (and he's a softer, red Kong kind of guy). Both dogs cracked pieces off the Himalayan chew fairly quickly, and swallowed the chunks. When the chew is not chewed, it's rather brittle and hard. I worried that the dogs might crack a tooth.

They thoroughly enjoyed themselves — but not for long. The size large lasted about fifteen minutes.

Back to the bully.

I keep trying other chews, but I always find my way back to the bully stick. They don't present the same danger of intestinal blockages as rawhides do. No strong chemicals are needed to strip off fur, as is the case with rawhides. Bullies are not bleached like rawhides.

Note: not all bully sticks are created equal.

Some people recommend buying only bullies sourced from American cattle. While I generally gravitate towards foods and treats grown and manufactured in the USA, in the case of bully sticks, I'm not sure buying North American is the better choice. There are several brands of bullies sourced from South American free-range cattle.

The winning bully? Moo! by Free Range Dog Chews. These are grass-fed cattle, free of antibiotics and hormones. The bullies meet USDA restrictions. The company posts lab results for inspections of their products. How many manufacturers of food for humans would be willing to do that?

Of course, Tomba and Tashi recommend the larger, 12-inch size (available from SitStay.com). The last batch we received were huge. Tashi was busy for a record-breaking 55 minutes! Tomba worked his jaws for just over an hour. These might be more expensive than many other bullies, but they're both long-lasting and chemical-free. A good deal if you ask me.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Reflective Collars

2010-01-31T08:15:00.001-08:00

You can't tell from this photo, but Tashi is helping her dad train for a marathon. Last week, she and her dad ran a hilly 16 miles. The next day, I thought she deserved a break: I decided not to have her wear her Ruff Wear Approach pack (photo), which she normally wears when hiking with me. I could barely keep up with her!

If you have a dog who's quick and covers a lot of ground like Tashi, you may want to invest in a reflective collar. Tashi recommends the one by Life is Good. In the photos above, she is sporting the collar in Granny (as in Granny Smith Apple).

Make no mistake: There's nothing Granny about this collar. Tashi has had this one for about 6 months. It stands up to mud, snow, rain, and roughhousing remarkably well. Outside of losing the sewn-on, plastic Life is Good label, the collar shows little sign of wear. It's machine washable and quite soft. It's also good-looking. Soft and good-looking are not qualities that are easy to come by in reflective collars. Trust me. I searched.

And, most importantly, the collar is reflective in low light. (See photo above with both Tomba and Tashi.)

The collar in Granny has Granny Smith apple trim with orange stripes lining either side of the reflective strip. The collar is also available in Surfer Blue, also with orange stripes.

Before I discovered the Life is Good reflective collar, Tashi was wearing the Red Dingo Reflective Bucklebone Collar in orange. This collar is also reflective in low light (photo below). The problem is the collar is rather hard. The nylon is stiff. The buckle is big and obtrusive.

Did Tashi notice? Probably not. She won Best Tail Wagger at the Berkshire Humane Race while wearing it.

But I noticed. Every time I took the collar off, it struck me as stiff and hard.

In my opinion, a girl who's out there running like the wind deserves a collar that she'll barely know is there.

If Tashi, needed a new collar, I'd buy her another Life is Good reflective collar. It's that good.

Tashi, a contributor to this review, serves as a fun and safety monitor at See Spot Shine, LLC

Healthy Training Treats

2010-01-30T14:05:00.000-08:00

Soft is good. Stinky is great!

Finally, we've gotten to Tomba's and Tashi's favorite topic: treats!

They are very happy to offer their opinions on this topic. They would like to begin with this recipe for liver brownies (they recommend antibiotic and hormone-free meat):

http://seespotshine.blogspot.com/2009/10/nail-clipping-magic.html

Nothing is as mouth-wateringly delicious as liver brownies still warm from the oven! (Note to caregivers: This is one valuable treat. Cut the brownies into tiny pieces and use sparingly for the behaviors that are most difficult for your dog. For most, think: recall.)

For those times when the humans just can't get it together to make a well-deserving pup a homemade, supercharged treat, Tomba and Tashi recommend:

Bravo! Organic Freeze-Dried Turkey Livers

Whole Life: Freeze-Dried Beef Liver

Alas, pups cannot live on liver alone.

For those other times when an over-the-moon-good treat is deserved, Tomba and Tashi recommend:

Bravo! Bonus Bites: Freeze-Dried Green Tripe

Tripe is arguably even more powerful than liver. This is the treat that taught Tomba not to lunge at squirrels while on leash (a very important lesson for a boy who weighs almost as much as his mother).

Liver and tripe are at the top of both Tomba's and Tashi's lists. Both are nutritionally dense. Liver provides many nutrients that are difficult to find in other foods, and should, therefore, be included in your dog's diet. It is very rich, however, and may cause loose stools if fed in large amounts. Keeping liver helpings at approximately 5% of your dog's diet is a good rule of thumb.

These 2 treats (or your dog's equivalents) should be reserved for the behaviors that are most difficult for your dog. (For most, that would include recall and counter/conditioning.)

Up there also on Tomba's and Tashi's lists are leftovers from the humans' dinner: roasted beets (more on this later), scrambled eggs, roast beef, roasted chicken, pancakes, French toast, and pizza crusts. The humans, though, are fussy about how much of these foods they are willing to share because of added salt, sugar, and spices. Humans are so hard to figure out sometimes.

Next up: fish. Remember: the stinkier, the better.

WildSide Salmon

Freeze-dried and bite-sized.
(Approx. 300 treats per 3 oz. pkg.)

Very popular in our house!

Also popular (and stinky! It'll take a few washes to get the scent off your hands): Lakse Kronch. We challenge you to find a stinkier cookie.

These aren't soft, as training treats should be (soft, tiny treats are swallowed before Spot is able to reward herself for doing something you didn't want), but they make a great reward for the end of a training session.

Note that the homemade liver brownies aside, Tomba's and Tashi's favorite treats are made of a single ingredient: liver, tripe, or salmon. (The Lakse Kronch does contain 15% fish meal in addition to the 85% wild Norwegian salmon.)

Naturally, treats made of a single protein and no filler are more expensive, but they're healthy, and they allow me to reduce the amount of protein that the dogs get in their meals.

The handy thing about freeze-dried treats is that they don't require refrigeration, and they don't get sticky on the fingers. The healthy thing about them is that there are no added sweeteners or artificial preservatives.

If you don't mind working with treats that require refrigeration, Tomba and Tashi recommend homemade fish and meat jerkies. (You can use your oven at 170 degrees as a dehydrator.) Tomba and Tashi both recommend buffalo (lean meats work best) and mackerel.

Then, of course, there's cheese. Monterey Jack serves well. It tends not to crumble.

No time? No access to refrigeration? No problem.

Plato Treats are made with over 90% meat or fish. The other main ingredient? Brown rice!

Each treat can be cut lengthwise in 3, then, in at least quarters, yielding 12-15 training treats per piece. (75-80 treats per 16 oz. bag.)

The salmon and organic chicken tend to be easier to cut. The duck is drier and more crumbly. (We're reserving the kangaroo in case the dogs develop allergies to all the more common proteins.)

Another mostly (95%) meat treat: Real Meat jerky treats. Tomba and Tashi recommend venison. (OK, they only get the venison because I don't like that the fish treats don't identify the type of fish. Sounds like cast-offs from some other processing to me. As for beef, I limit the amount that the dogs get through dog food and treats. They get the bulk of their beef hormone and antibiotic free from the local butcher.)

Although Real Meat treats are slightly higher in meat content than the Plato treats, for some reason, they are slightly lower in value than the Plato treats, at least as rated by Tomba's and Tashi's very discerning palates. These, like the Plato treats, can easily be cut into smaller pieces, more appropriate for training.

Low in meat content, but apparently high in flavor (and made with healthy ingredients!): Gourmet Paws. These come in a variety of flavors, all well-liked in our house.

In addition to making a tasty impression, Gourmet Paws treats come training-sized (450-500 morsels per tub), a welcome benefit when you're late for class!

And, finally, don't forget to check your cupboards. You just might find healthy, more economical choices there. If your dog has no food sensitivities, unsalted plain popcorn is an economical option. Cheese popcorn makes for a special, once-in-a-while (high sodium) treat. For easier tasks, and for use in some treat-dispensing toys, try a whole-grain cereal, like Heritage O's.

A piece of sweet potato, banana, or a kidney or garbanzo bean all qualify as training treats in our house. Tashi loves carrots — when they're sweet, which by her standards usually means organic — she'll spit them out if they don't meet her strict requirements).

And . . . shhhh . . . Don't tell the farmers at my local CSA, but Tomba actually develops big ropes of drool on either side of his face when I take their beets out of the oven. Yes, you read that correctly: beets (recently called "red spinach" by the New York Times). He drools because he's tasted our local, organic beets, and absolutely adores them, quite possibly more than steak.

The moral of this story is that one never knows what one's dog considers "delicious." Every dog is different. Test your dog's palate. You may be surprised.

Once you discover your dog's taste preferences, you will have the key to understanding her/his motivation, and this is essential for effective training. Save the treats most desired by your dog for the behaviors that are most challenging for your dog. Use a variety of treats, and rotate them often.

Happy training! (And tasting!)

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

FREE! Treat Dispensing Toys

2010-01-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

Treat dispensing toys needn't be expensive. In fact, they might even be free. Take a look in your own recycling bin.

Beverage bottles made of soft plastic, yogurt containers with tops, and old treat tubs, make terrific treat dispensing toys. Plus, this gives the containers a second life before they're even recycled.

We can start by getting that food bowl up off the floor! (In our household, bowls are only used for water.) Put some of Spot's kibble into one or more of these containers. If Spot is not accustomed to treat dispensing toys, start with an easier container. A half-opened yogurt container is a good starting place. Let Spot smell, see, and hear the kibbles. Get her a little excited, then place the container on the floor, and say, "Find it!" Repeat.

Once Spot is comfortable opening half-opened containers, tighten those tops. And when she's comfortable with that, put her in a sit-stay. (She does know how to do that, right? If not, that would be another good mental workout for both of you: you for teaching, her for learning). Place the container a little farther away and instruct her to "Find it!" Gradually increase distance. When Spot is enthusiastically "finding" the containers from a distance, then, with Spot watching you, place the container behind something so it's out of her sight. Release her from her stay and instruct her to, "Find it!" Do this a few times, gradually placing the containers farther out of Spot's sight, until she clearly understands the "Find it!" cue. Once she does, you can put her in a stay and hide containers throughout the house. Release her as you're headed out for work or to run errands. This is a wonderful way to prevent separation distress and other anxieties. Dogs who are busy having fun while you're gone have less mental energy for fretting. And a happier Spot makes for a happier you!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Rabies Vaccine / Rabies Challenge Fund

2010-01-11T11:11:00.000-08:00

Significant adverse reactions include: "polyneuropathy resulting in muscular atrophy, inhibition or interruption of neuronal control of tissue and organ function, incoordination, and weakness, auto-immune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune diseases affecting the thyroid, joints, blood, eyes, skin, kidney, liver, bowel and central nervous system; anaphylactic shock; aggression; seizures; epilepsy; and fibrosarcomas at injection sites."

These are documented reactions to the rabies vaccine. While French studies show immunity five years after vaccination, in some areas in the US, vaccination is still required annually. Dr. W. Jean Dodds, Dr. Ronald Schultz, and Kris Christine have teamed up to form the Rabies Challenge Fund, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization to study the duration of immunity conveyed by the rabies vaccine. The hope is to extend the vaccine protocol to five or even seven years.

For more information and to donate to support the studies, please visit:
Rabies Challenge Fund

For You to "No" Or Your Dog To Know

2010-01-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

"What is she doing?"

My mother turned to me in confusion. She couldn’t understand why Tashi wasn’t lunging for the bowl on the floor. It contained some nice creamy, whole milk yogurt. Instead of lunging, in fact, Tashi went from standing to sitting. Her eyes were fixed on my mother. Clearly, Tashi wanted what was in the bowl. She licked her lips. My mother asked again what Tashi was doing. All the dogs my mother has known over the course of her 79 years would have gone for the bowl before it even hit the floor. Tashi waited patiently in a sit until I told her, "Free dog."

People unfamiliar with positive reinforcement training sometimes think that because positive reinforcement trainers tend not to use the word "No" that positive reinforcement trainers are permissive. I can assure you that we have many, many rules in my house, including not taking food — even if it’s on the floor — unless specifically told that it’s okay.

Rather than focusing on what the dog should not do, positive trainers teach dogs what to do.

When I was teaching Tashi not to jump up on people, I did not tell her, "No." I could have, but what Tashi probably would have learned from that was that it was okay to jump until I said, "No."

I much prefer to teach a dog to think her way through a situation. Tashi knew that she wanted what was in the bowl that my mother placed on the floor in front of her. In Tashi's experience, whenever she jumped on or near me, any goodies I was holding moved farther away, to the other side of my body, and she got nothing. While we were working on this, I said nothing to Tashi. I simply let her assess the situation for herself. She tried jumping and barking a number of times until she realized that these behaviors would not get her a taste of the goodies. In frustration, she sat down to assess the situation.

Whenever Tashi did this, offered behavior I wanted her to repeat (ex. sitting in the presence of something she wanted), I used a clicker to mark the reward-earning behavior, and gave her a taste of the goodies I held. We repeated this with goodies (sometimes food, sometimes toys) in my hand held above her head. If she jumped, the goodies went away. If she sat, I clicked the clicker and she got a treat or a chance to play with the toy. We repeated this in different rooms, with food in bowls, on plates, in my hand, toys held still, toys shaken around. I did not use the word "No." I let Tashi think for herself. If she jumped, the food — and toys — went away. If she sat, she got a click and a treat (or an opportunity to play with the toy). Tashi's dad did the same. And, this past Thanksgiving, Tashi demonstrated that she now knows what kind of behavior humans like. She did not push my 79-year-old mother out of the way to get to the creamy yogurt. Instead, she planted herself in a sit and waited patiently to be released to eat her treat. That’s positive training.

Tashi, a contributor to this post, serves as a fun and safety monitor at See Spot Shine, LLC.

The Bed Spread

2010-01-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it's taken me this long to address a topic as important as beds!

After the waiting period was finally over and we were able to pick Tashi up from the Washington Animal Rescue League, we stopped off at the Big Bad Woof in DC. There, in addition to toys and treats, we picked up a Big Shrimpy Original Bed. I liked it because it had a removable, washable, and replaceable canvas cover that came in nice colors (we thought the rich purple suited Tashi, i.e., it was dark and wouldn't show dirt). The fill is made of recycled materials, and is washable.

Well, we brought the nice, puffy bed home, and Tashi wouldn't even put one paw on it. It was too small for Tomba, and he already had two beds, so he had no interest in it. Back it went. (Probably a good thing as Tashi ended up growing quite a bit taller, longer, and wider for a dog who was supposedly one year old when we adopted her.)

Maybe it was Tashi's stints in at least two shelters that we know of. Maybe our apartment at the time was too warm for her. In any case, for a while, Tashi preferred the wood floor to any kind of bedding.

And then, she discovered the beauty of comfortable sleeping. Now, she'll even share a bed rather than lie on the floor.

We have four different dog beds at our house. Three are by Orvis (we live close to the flagship store and outlet), and one is by Ruff Wear.

When her brother is not around, Tashi prefers her Orvis Dog Nest filled with polystyrene beads. There are enough beads in the fill so that the bed is four or five inches high when fluffed. Tashi is able to dig at the beads and form a hollow in which she likes to curl up. (Wonder if there's a bit of Husky in there . . .) She has the rectangular bed in a size Large, which fits her 70-lb frame perfectly.

Tomba, not the most confident of canines, is completely put off by the shifting of the beads in this bed. He won't even put a paw on this bed if he can avoid it.

Tomba's favorite is the Ruff Wear Urban Sprawl bed (which, perplexingly, is not currently listed on the Ruff Wear site). Because of its generous size and thickness, our friends call the Urban Sprawl "Tomba's futon."

It's pictured at left with its normal cover. In the photo below, Tomba, 80 lbs, is sprawled belly up on the Urban Sprawl in size Extra Large. The bed is encased in an Orvis bed cover, also XL. The Orvis covers are much easier to wash than the Ruff Wear bed cover, which balloons up in the washing machine, fills with water, and throws our machine off balance, terrifying the dogs (and when our cat Jezebel was alive, her as well) in the process.

"Tomba's futon" is five years old, like him, and still quite fluffy despite daily use, sometimes by two dogs (totaling 150 pounds) at a time. It was also formerly tested and appreciated by our cat.

The other two beds we have are both by Orvis. They're Dog Nests with polyester fill. One is rectangular, one round, both size Large. For some reason, though they don't always curl up, both dogs prefer the round.

When Tomba is in a curling mood, he will choose the Orvis round bed over the Ruff Wear.

If you know your dog won't wet or chew a bed, the durability of the Ruff Wear bed can't be beat. It's thick as a futon and the filling is sewn in place, so it never gets lumpy. The cover is removable and machine washable (in some machines, not mine). Orvis bed covers fit, but not perfectly; there will be a little bit of scrunching on the sides, but not enough to make your dog uncomfortable.

If you have a new dog that you don't know well yet, or if you have a dog who you know might wet the bed or chew it, the Orvis Dog Nests are a better choice. You can easily wash the cover, the inside liner, and the fill. If you have a bed that's too big to fit into your washing machine, you can separate out the polyfill into mesh laundry bags and wash portions at a time. And, if all else fails, you can replace any or all of the parts.

[2/13 update: I forgot to mention the nap mat. Tashi has a West Paw Nature Nap, for those days when hanging out with Dad at the office tuckers her out and she needs to lay down her head.

West Paw makes beautiful beds. It's unfortunate that they don't offer replacement covers. If they did, we'd be happy to try out a bed!]

Happy slumbering!

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Nina Ottosson's Dog Dizzy

2010-01-03T09:21:00.000-08:00

It's the latest addition to our Ottosson collection: the Dog Dizzy. It works similarly to the Dog Pyramid (see review), with a a weighted bottom that adds complexity to its movement. While the Pyramid has a completely hollow interior, the Dizzy has an interior half shelf that increases the difficulty level. The Dizzy needs to be rolled a certain way for treats to make it onto the shelf and then rolled a certain way for the treats on the half-shelf to make it out the dispensing hole rather than roll back down to the bottom. (This works in a somewhat similar manner to the Buster Cube in that the treats must travel in a particular pattern through the inner chamber. The Dizzy's chamber is simpler, but the weighted bottom makes the navigation more difficult.)

The Dizzy is definitely built for the more patient, more puzzle-experienced canine. Tashi tossed it around a few times, got nothing and proceeded to try and destroy the toy. Granted, this is her normal M.O., but she attempted total annihilation far earlier than she has with other toys. Tomba grew up on treat-dispensing toys. He's very methodical about the way he works with them. He tried nosing the Dizzy along, but it was too heavy to roll. It simply wobbled and slid along the floor. Nothing came out. He tried this a few times, heard the kibbles inside, but received nothing for his efforts. He picked the Dizzy up in his mouth. (He has massive jaws.) He tilted and shook, tilted and shook. He dropped it and repositioned his grip, tilted, and shook, and ta da! Rewards for his efforts. His numerous successive attempts, though, resulted in no rewards and he began to tire of the toy, so I traded him a treat for the Dizzy and put it away.

We tried it again later, and it seemed the elapsed time had given Tomba a chance to think about his approach. This time, when he tilted and shook and nothing came out, he was much quicker to put the toy down and change his grip. Tomba is good at these kinds of calculations. He loves figuring out a treat dispensing puzzle. Even though the payoffs come less frequently from the Dizzy than from the Pyramid, the rewards tend to be larger. In general, Tomba will only get 2-3 kibbles when he shakes the Pyramid, whereas with the Dizzy, when he gets something, he gets a small spill. This is enough of a payoff for a patient, puzzle-lover like Tomba. It's not enough for an active dog like Tashi. Note the deep gashes in the Dizzy after just a couple of encounters with Tashi. The Dizzy is made with a much softer material than the Pyramid. Tashi has been using the Pyramid daily for months. It has plenty of scrapes and some gashes, but nothing as deep as those on the Dizzy.

Bottom line: The Dog Dizzy is great for more cerebral canines who are gentler with their toys. For most, the Dog Pyramid is the way to go. Already have the Pyramid? Save up for one of the puzzles. Both Tomba and Tashi love the Tornado (see review). We have our eyes on the Dog Casino for our next Ottosson addition.

The Dizzy is available from Pawlickers.com. The Pyramid is available from CleanRun.com. The Tornado and the Casino are available from both.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Speaking Out Against the Whisperer

2009-12-19T12:42:00.000-08:00

Cesar Millan, aka The Dog Whisperer, is slated to do a UK speaking tour next year. A number of training, behavioral, and veterinary organizations have banded together to issue a statement against Millan's inhumane and potentially dangerous techniques. What an impressive list. Too bad our own APDT is noticeably silent, while APDT-UK speaks out.

http://www.dogwelfarecampaign.org/

[1/3/10 Update: The Dog Whisperer is not whispering about the libel suit he is threatening these organizations with. Unfortunately, many of these organizations are not-for-profit and could not afford the risk of a costly lawsuit -- apparently, libel suits are far easier to win in the UK than in the US -- and so, withdrew their names from the statement. You can find the original list of organizations here:
http://seespotshine.com/pdf/dogwelfare.pdf

Interested in learning more about why Cesar Millan's methods are dangerous both to the dogs on which they are practiced and to the humans who practice them? Hear from the experts:
http://beyondcesarmillan.weebly.com/index.html]

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this post, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Tomba Meets the Tornado: Product Review

2009-12-08T11:11:00.000-08:00

The day before Thanksgiving was Tomba's birthday. He's five, and he still loves a good challenge, whether it's a squirrel running up a steep hill or a treat-dispensing toy he's never met before. For his birthday, I got him Nina Ottosson's Dog Tornado.

The Tornado comes in wood and plastic versions. I like the looks of the wood version and I'd like to limit the amount of plastic that enters into the world, but with Tashi in the house, the wood version would be short-lived, and then, a tree would have died for naught. I opted for the plastic. It comes in soothing shades of blue. There are 3 bone-shaped rotating levels. The stationary base level and the 2 rotating levels above it have 4 recessed areas each, in which you can hide treats. There are 3 small white bones that can be added as obstacles. The white bones both hide the treats in the pocket beneath them and prevent the level above from turning.

I started Tomba at the basic level, with no obstacles. He knows the cue "Find it." Plus, he could smell the treats inside. He immediately used his nose to push the toy. He's a big boy. At first, I had to hold the Tornado down, so he wouldn't tip it over. (He's used to treat-dispensing toys that give up the goods when rolled.) He got the idea pretty quickly. Almost immediately, he was spinning all the different levels and gobbling up the treats with joy.

It was time to up the ante. I put in the white plastic bones on the top level only. He had a hard time lifting these out. Their sides are sloped, so there's nothing to grip. He kept trying to bite and lift, but he couldn't get a hold on them. He tried nosing them out, but they'd lift teasingly and then, fall back into place. He teetered on getting frustrated, so I called time out, dropped a couple of treats in easy spots that he could access without removing the bones, and Tomba was back in the game. He tried his teeth at the removable bones again, and this time, he succeeded. (In the photo above, he has removed one bone, which you can see behind his left paw, and is working on the 2nd.) He was hooked. In time, he got all the removable bones out and was duly rewarded. The only problem was then, he started thinking all the parts should be removable, so he tried to lift the large, top, blue bone off. Soon enough, he figured out that didn't work. (1) It didn't come off. And (2), no additional treats were to be had by trying that.

Tomba is now hooked. He LOVES his Tornado. He only gets a total of 6 Itty Bitty Buddy Biscuits (they're tiny!), when he completes the whole puzzle, but he gets an air of satisfaction about him when he finds the right answer on his own, whether it's in a training session or when he's playing with an interactive toy. He's so much happier working with the Tornado than if I just gave him 6 Buddy Biscuits. When I bring out the Tornado, his eyes get a little twinkle and his tail thump, thump, thumps the floor. I think maybe I chose the right birthday present for him.

Nina Ottosson's Dog Tornado is available from Clean Run.

Remember to supervise Spot while she's playing with this product.

Tomba and Tashi, contributors to this review, serve as fun and safety monitors at See Spot Shine, LLC.

Flea and Tick Products: NRDC Toxicity Chart

2009-12-02T13:28:00.000-08:00

Confused about which flea and tick products are safe, or at least, less toxic?

You're not alone. It's difficult to keep up with the new products and the potential side effects of the drugs used in them. Manufacturers frequently make multiple products that don't necessarily contain the same active ingredients. And while some chemicals may be okay to use on dogs, they can be very toxic to cats. Some of the included pesticides pose significant risk to the human nervous system and/or may cause cancer in humans. These pesticides are particularly dangerous to children, who are more likely to play on the floor where their furry counterparts may have left pesticide residue. Children are also quite likely to pet animals and then, put their hands in their mouths.

To help consumers better understand the risks, the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) has compiled a chart of over a hundred flea and tick products, the chemicals they contain, and their level of toxicity. You can view this list at the NRDC's Green Paws site. You can also sign a petition to encourage the EPA to remove the most toxic products from the market.