Dogs, Dogs, and more Dogs.

Every Sunday on my facebook page (see link right) I feature a dog from a local rescue who needs a home. This is the very last day of October which is official Adopt a Shelter Pet Month, and to celebrate I will be sharing some of the wonderful dogs in shelters all over Idaho. Please pass this along and lets see if we can't get some of them adopted! Click on each link to meet an amazing dog who needs your help!

http://www.adoptapet.com/cgi-bin/public/petsearch.cgi/pet_details?pet_id=4539117


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=297518&id=191869176188


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=451841367219&set=a.121843677219.100397.120589807219


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=165646040118329&set=a.101543366528597.3626.100000188025768&pid=607730&id=100000188025768


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=171500059532927&set=a.101543366528597.3626.100000188025768&pid=650509&id=100000188025768


http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/photo.php?fbid=492224401188&set=a.492224391188.299411.191869176188

Dog food: What pet owners need to know

Have you ever really thought about what you are feeding your dog? Do you trust that because there is a healthy happy looking pooch on the bag that it is providing your dog with what he needs to live a long healthy life? Did you know corn is actually very unhealthy for dogs?

When it comes to dog food, not all foods are created equal. Not feeding your pet a healthy diet can result in allergies, joint problems, heart problems, teeth problems, not to mention aging quicker and not looking or feeling as well as they should.

Here is a great sight to rate your dogs food with. Check the list and see if your food is on it. If you feed Rover anything less than a b+ it's time to switch foods.

www.dogfoodcomparison.org/dog-food-scores.html

Walk The Walk

Me walking my two dogs, and my two foster dogs. Once you have the right frame of mind you can walk a number of dogs and still maintain control.

Walking your dog correctly is so important. It sets up the base of your relationship. Do you have control of your dog on the walk, or does your dog walk you? Even if you have more than one dog you need to be able to walk with confidence and know that your dogs respect you as a stable, reliable leader.

I will often go to a clients home and ask "how much walk time does your dog get?" But I really don't need to ask. I can tell by watching. If the person is being drug by their dog I know they don't get out much. It just isn't enjoyable to walk a dog who pulls and tugs and so most people quit walking rather than fixing the problem.

One of the best ways to stop pulling is to simply stop walking as soon as the dog pulls. It makes for a slow walk, but doesn't take long to get through to the dog that they go no where if they tug. Another thing to do it switch direction as soon as they pull. They soon learn they can't anticipate where they are going so they have to be tuned into you. What you do not want to do is pull and yank on the leash. If you are frustrated your dog won't understand what you want, and remember, no matter what it is, pulling begets pulling. If you are keeping a tight tense leash you are unknowingly causing your dog to react by pulling back.

Remember: It is really about the mind set, you need to feel like the leader so your dog feels safe to follow. And don't give up. Not walking is not an option!


My daughter walking our 70lbs dog, proving it isn't size or strength that make a good leader, it's knowledge and confidence.

*Take the poll on the right to see how you and your pooch compare.

How Early Is Too Early (puppy advice)

I had a fun day today working with Boise Bully Breed Rescue at a local Petco to raise awareness and educate the public on all things dogs. One thing that was troubling to me, however, was the number of people I saw with VERY young puppies in the store. I saw a handful of well-intentioned new pet owners with little tiny pups under 8 weeks of age. This is concerning on two very serious levels.

The first, and simplest, is that puppies so young have not had their second round of shots and are therefore very susceptible to Parvo. Parvo is a HIGHLY contagious disease that affects almost exclusively puppies, but anyone or anything can carry it. It can be on your shoes, your ten year old dog, a grocery cart and many other places. It can be deadly, is always painful, and is expensive to treat. It is just not safe taking a puppy out before they have had their second round of shots. Ask anyone who has dealt with Parvo...it is very scary and you wouldn't wish it on your worst enemy.

The second, and this is what bothers me the most, is that every person I spoke to said they got their puppy at around 4-5 weeks of age from a breeder. PLEASE, please, believe me, that any breeder willing to sell you a dog before 8 weeks of age is not a person you should get a dog from. Do not walk, RUN if someone ever offers you a pup that young. No reputable breeder who knows what they are doing would ever give a pup away so young. Most of the time there are behavior issues down the road.

Why? Because the mother provides nourishment until around 4 weeks of age, then she begins to ween the pups...but her job is far from over. One person today told me their breeder told them the mother stopped nursing at 4 weeks so that's why she was selling them so early. That is a huge red flag that the "breeder" knows little to nothing about a dog's development process.
In the process of weening her pups the mom teaches them boundaries that they just don't learn fully any other way. Between 6-8 weeks they learn bite control and body language from their mother and litter mates. Let me be clear... THE MOTHER AND LITTER MATES ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO CAN TEACH A DOG THIS THE WAY NATURE INTENDED. Yes, you can do some of it with another dog or yourself, but you will NEVER be able to replace those crucial weeks fully.

I personally prefer to get my dogs through a shelter or rescue, but if you do go through a breeder make sure they meet not most, but EVERY single one of these criteria.

Reputable breeders ALWAYS:

• give their pups their first/and usually second round of shots


• allow you to meet both parents and ask questions


• ask you questions about how you'll raise the pup and where it will live (some will want to do a home inspection...that is good!)


• provide you with proof of medical exam and papers on bloodlines


• will not let you take the pup before 8 weeks, preferably 10 weeks


• have already started the puppies in socialization and potty training


• make you sign an adoption contract

If you find a breeder on craigslist or somewhere else who does not do ALL of these, they are a backyard breeder and it is buyer beware. Backyard breeders will charge less, but you WILL pay for that in vet bills and headaches down the road.

Also, NO--let me repeat, NO reputable breeder EVER sells their dogs to a pet store. And yes, pet stores will lie to you about where their cute little pups come from. Buying a dog from a pet store is one of the cruelest things you can ever do because it guarantees that dogs will continue to suffer in puppy mills.

This is a hard and harsh reality. And if you have made the mistake of adopting a pup too young, don't panic. You will likely have some problems that could have been avoided, but it doesn't mean you can't love and have a happy life with your dog. It does, however, mean that now that you know differently, it is up to you and all of us to teach others.

Exercise Exercise Exercise!!!

The first question I ask every client who calls with behavior issues is "How many minutes a day of structured exercise does your dog get?" Here are the top three answers.

1. We have a big back yard and he has a dog door.

2. We have 2 dogs who play together all the time.

3. The kids play ball with him almost every day.

Every one of these is nice...but NOT structured exercise and so does not count. When I tell them that their dog is at 0 minutes a day they are shocked.

So what is "structured exercise"? It is an activity that you start, you stop, and drains your dog physically and mentally. A daily walk MUST make up a large part of this. Your dog needs this for many reason. The simplest is to get out of his normal surroundings. Just like us, dogs get house bound. Your four walls and fenced yard get boring quickly. Dogs need to experience the outside world. Period.

Another reason is for the bonding. Your dog is relying on you and your leadership while on a walk and nothing bonds you quicker if you do it right. Which means, you need to have the walk at a heel down for this to work. And obviously the physical exercise is steady and constant on a walk, as where ball playing is amp up and then stop.

In addition to the walk, or jog if you and your dog are higher energy, you can add in obedience training, agility training, fly ball training or pulling activities. The ball playing is fun but does not require the amount of concentration that other activities do. It is like recess for kids.

How much exercise does your dog need? Well, that varies on breed, energy level age, health etc..

Most healthy dogs will need a MINIMUM of 70 minutes a day at least half of which should be walking. It seems like a lot, but you can split it up. 20 minute walk before work, 30 after dinner and two 10 minute obedience training session somewhere in between. If you have more than one person in the house it makes it even easier to split up.

Keep an exercise log because what seems like 30 minutes may actually only be 15 or 20. I have found that some dogs will even get a mental drain from simply going on a car ride and experiencing new sights, sounds and smells. I try to take my dog with me on as many errands as I can and as weather permits (don't leave a dog in a car in hot weather). It is a mental drain for a dog to wait patiently in the car while you run into the bank, or how about taking the dog into the home improvement store with you. Think about how tired you are after spending the morning running around town... you and your dog will both be ready for a nap!

If your dog is having any kind of destructive behaviors, up his exercise and you'll be amazed at the change!

Aggression Ignorance

My family and I were out walking our dogs this evening when we passed by a fence with a large dog on the other side. The dog was lunging, snarling, and throwing himself at the fence. Several of the boards were loose and one was missing from this routine behavior from the dog.

The owner of the property was out front so I mentioned to him that his fence was breaking and his dog was displaying serious fence aggression. I told him that who ever the unlucky person was walking by when the fence broke would be attacked by 100 pounds of pent up anger from his dog. The owner just laughed and said his dog was well trained and wouldn't hurt a fly, "It's just harmless noise" he said.

This really bothered me because it is this kind of ignorance that gets people killed. When an animal is displaying aggression of any kind it is not "just harmless noise". It is, in fact, a warning that you need to take action before something tragic happens. My guess is that this dog is a very sweet dog when he is with his owner and so the owner feels that he has nothing to worry about. The truth is, when the owner is gone the dog has taken the job of fiercely guarding the property line from anyone walking by. He is not getting exercised enough and is able to release his energy by overreacting to strangers.

This owner is not unlike many others out there. He simply does not want to believe that his loving family pet could be dangerous, but the truth is any dog can and will bite if not trained properly. Knowing commands and how to retrieve is not enough. Dogs, especially big dogs, have to learn the difference between a real threat and normal activity. What this owner needed to do was correct his dog at the very first sign of aggression towards something on the other side of fence and continue to work on it. His dog also needs a lot of daily physical activity so he does not release his energy in this dangerous way. Unfortunatley, simply ignoring the behavior and passing it off as harmless is going to get someone hurt.

If you see a dog showing aggression like this at a fence you need to contact animal control so they can investigate and asses the danger to the public. And, if your dog shows this kind of behavior you need to act NOW to correct it before someone gets hurt.

*Remember, there is no such thing as harmless aggression. If your dog acts aggressive do not be foolish enough to assume it's just talk with nothing behind it. And if you encounter a dog showing signs of aggression call and get some help before it is too late!

Helpful Tips For Busy Families

School is back in session and life is hectic again. There are soccer games to get to, piano lesson, teacher meetings and all the other stuff that comes with fall. The days are also getting shorter and cooler and it is all to easy to forget about the four legged family member.

Just because your schedule has picked up doesn't mean your dogs needs have lessened. He still needs walked EVERY day, and he still needs attention, and set rules to live by. Make sure that you are making time for him or you will have behavior problems and also an unhappy pooch. Here are some ideas to help you keep Fido happy and still keep up with your busy schedule.

• Soccer practice? Take the pooch. I used to run laps around the soccer field with my dog while I watched my son's team practice.


• Walk to school. This is a great way to keep your dog socialized and exercised!


• Add a pack. If you can't go for as long of walks now you can add a back pack weighted with watter bottles to make sure your dog is still getting the most out of his work out time.


• Treadmill train. If you have a treadmill train your dog to use it. It takes some patients but is likely easier than you think. Fido can get in a good walk while you get ready for the day.


• Divide it up. Make a schedule for the dogs needs. Write out who walks, who feeds, who grooms etc. Share the task so that no one person is bogged down with too much. This also ensures that each family member gets special bonding time with the pooch!

These are just a few ideas to help you meet your dogs needs in a busy world. Be creative, have fun and remember that you made a commitment to your pet. His needs don't go away just because your schedule gets full.