Dogviews

Great Puzzle Game Keeps Dogs Thinking

Keeping Izzy the 10-month old Portuguese Water Dog busy is a challenge. She is always thinking, always busy (we call her Busy Izzy) and if I don't provide her with something to do, she'll find something. And it's usually not something I want her to play with.

There are some days I just can't entertain her as much as she'd like. On those days I feed her kibble breakfast to her using Nina Ottosans Brick game. This well-made toy requires Izzy to find her food by removing the bones and sliding the game pieces in order to reveal the food prize. She sometimes uses her nose, and other times uses her paws to move the sliding pieces. 

Izzy loves the game, and I love that it stands up tough to her craziness and it's dishwasher safe. 

You can see Norman, my standard poodle playing with the game on YouTube. 

I've Met My Match

I'm sure many who have a puppy right now think their little monster is the craziest little dog ever.

I've had dogs all my life. Izzy is my third dog in the last five years. I've had puppies in my home temporarily for the last five years, as well. I said I wanted a high drive dog. Well, I got one. Maybe when she took flying leaps at my calves, trying to reach my capris when I went to get her at her wonderful breeder's house, I should have taken pause.

But, I didn't. And what I got was the most rambunctious, trainable, lovable dog I've ever seen.

At 10 weeks old, she is swimming with mostly reckless abandon. If the waves are too big, she wants to be close to her mama. But, she also doesn't want to miss anything.

I'd like her to be a great swimmer so that we can get her Water Dog Titles, sanctioned by the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America. So, now I'm being careful to only expose her to things she can handle, so she isn't spooked or frightened by the water.

Oh, Hello!

I realize I haven't been here in awhile. There are no excuses, except life things.

I have a new baby in the house. Let me introduce you to Oreobay Get Ready Get Set, "Izzy". Izzy is 11 week old Portuguese Water Dog, bred by Nigel Clark. She is adorable and she is WILD!! More on her in upcoming posts. Having Izzy has prompted me to think a lot about training and raising a puppy, hence my return to this blog.

Puppy Mill Experience Leaves Me Blue

I got a call about a week ago from a breeder who wanted to donate some poodle/lab mix puppies to our assistance dog organization. I talked with her for quite awhile on the phone and learned that she's donated dogs to other organizations, as well. She sounded like a winner. And then I saw her operation.

My first clue that something wasn't right was when I asked to see the parents and she hesitated. In fact, she wouldn't let me see the dam, citing kennel cough as the reason. She did let me see the sire, a standard poodle, and I was horrified! She let him out of his crate (which he probably rarely leaves) and he did nothing but cower and move in circles. He wouldn't approach me. His coat looked terrible, and he wasn't the only one. The entire garage was loaded with crates of adult dogs that looked neglected, to say the least.

Then I saw the puppies...all six litters of them. There were 5 week old doodles in a plywood whelping box with no paper, towels or bedding. They were walking in their urine. There was a pregnant dam, whose water had just broken. Once again, the plywood was soaked and there was no bedding.

She brought the puppies out from the litter she wanted to donate. They were 16 weeks old, and I'm not sure they had ever been out of their crate. The couldn't stand up straight. They wouldn't approach me.

What's crazy is that this woman lives in a very nice house. It was SPOTLESS! She works for a vet.

I didn't take the puppies, knowing that their lack of socialization couldn't be reversed. It was a depressing day.

I'm taking action on Monday.

Most Expensive Dog Collar

I've been to Santa Monica. I've been to St. Helena. I've seen some pretty fancy pet shops in Chicago. I thought $100 was too much for a dog collar. How about $2500...yes twenty-five hundred! But you can get a deal...some are available for $1500.

Only 1,00 collars total are made each year in Italy. You'll have to get on a waiting list if you want one for your pampered pooch.

I have to admit...they are pretty cool looking.

Twil Animal

She can throw away the trash, but she can't hold a Sit Stay!

Roxi, Service Dog-in-Training went to  class on Saturday to test out of her beginner level. She failed because she couldn't hold a sit stay for 1 minute and because she was afraid of a giant freaky doll (it scares me!). Of course, she  can retrieve and drop items into the trash can and open and close cupboards, but the goof can't sit for a minute.

To give her a bit of credit...she didn't move except to lie down. I guess she's just lazy.

Roxi's only a year old, and staying in one position is just not her cup of tea. But, food is! So here's the new drill...

While I fix her food, she is going to sit and wait patiently for it until I release her. She already does this in a down stay, but so far, the sit position has been a challenge. She just wants to lie down. I can relate. A tip for those of you with similar problems: make sure you are working your dog on a rug or other non-slip surface.

As for the doll...it's been slathered with peanut butter and is no longer a problem. And I've been seen dancing with that dumb doll, which is sure to give Roxi confidence.

Norman the Poodle's New Year's Resolutions

Because Norman has the most positive attitude of my two dogs, he, of course would be the one to believe in resolutions for the New Year. So, if Norman could talk to you, this is what he'd tell you (in his words, of course) are his hopes for 2007:

1. Get a butt scratch from every new person I encounter.
2. Eat one bully stick per day.
3. Run in the mud a minimum of six times a day...WITHOUT having my feet washed.
4. Eat my dinner without my mom putting my ears in a scrunchie.
5. Get my dinner/a treat/attention before my brother Vino, who isn't very nice.
6. Get a drink from the toilet whenever (I love it when the guys are home).
7. Only get brushed when I get on my beauty table...NOT have my toenails filed.
8. Have my foster sister Roxi with me at all times.

Life doesn't get much better than that!

Against Cesar Milan: Top Articles

I'm certainly not a dog training expert. But, still I'm smart enough to know that Cesar Milan's training methods are wrong for the everyday dog owner. He doesn't stress positive training methods. He wants busy homeowners to walk their dogs for 60 minutes every day. How impractical is that?

I'll say it again: I do agree that we don't give our dogs enough exercise, or discipline. But there are better ways to train than choking a dog until his eyes roll to the back of his head.

A lot has been written about him...mostly negative from the experts. Following is a collection of my favorite articles/posts on the why you shouldn't emulate his methods.

Jean Donaldson, Director of The SF/SPCA Academy for Dog Trainers andauthor of "Culture Clash" -
Donaldson says, "I am... along with my colleagues here at The San Francisco SPCA, somewhat agog at the stunning success of 'The Dog Whisperer'".

American Humane Association - this article says that Milan's methods are "inhumane, outdated and improper.

Esquire Magazine - Misguided Expert of the Year - author Curtis Pesmen quotes several leading experts who think Milan's methods are wrong.

Bark Magazine editor Pat Miller's review of "Cesar's Way" - Miller not only disagrees with Milan's methods but asserts how unhelpful his book is at giving advice. She writes there are no clear steps for dog owner's to follow, a point I made in a former post on this blog.

I've always thought that the National Geographic brand stood for high standards, quality and truth. Why, even with many letters to them from experts admonishing Milan's tactics, do they continue to broadcast his show? I know, I know...it sells.

Favorite Christmas Gift

The Mallard Duck from Loopies Toys was the hands down hit for my dogs at Christmas. It's great as a tug toy, has a squeaker and quacks just like a duck when it hits a hard surface. It sends my dogs into a complete frenzy! It has been played with for two days straight and still looks compeltely new.

Here's a picture of Norman with his duck.

Rainy Day Game for You and Your Dog

It was rainy all Christmas day here in Toledo and my backyard is like a marsh. As you can see from this picture, I have a white dog, and pretty nice carpeting. A poodle wrestling match in the mud and the resulting mess was not my idea of a fun holiday.

So the dogs and I played a hilarious game of Hide and Seek. My husband was upstairs in his office and thought a herd of buffalos had invaded our house.

Here are some tips: First your dog needs a solid stay or wait. Wait for my dogs means "stay here for just a little while until I release you." A regular stay means "you'll be here for awhile, so just settle in until I release you."

So, I put all three dogs in a down and told them to wait. Now young miss Roxi, the service dog-in-training, would rather be working on tasks, versus staying in one position, so this was good practice for her. As she got more into the game, her waits became better. She figured out she couldn't be released until she layed quietly.

I then took one of their favorite toys and went and hid. I yelled "Free" and they came running. At first I made the game easy and celebrated by throwing the toy when they found me. Each time I made the game a little harder. I hid in a closet with the door open. I hid in a corner in the dining room. It was pretty dark in the house, so they had to work to find me. My scent is all over the house, so their nose wasn't as helpful as it would have been in a new environement.

They had a ball! I have to admit, I was pretty entertained, too. I made it difficult enough that sometimes they were just running in circles, so I gave short whistles to give them a clue. When they did find me, they'd dance and jump on me. Vino the cocker spaniel was the first to find me everytime.

What's really great is that their "Wait" performance got better and better. Their motivation was strong. They knew that the game didn't start if they didn't stay in position. If someone broke the stay, I'd take them back to the kitchen and put them back in position.

Best of all, they were exhausted at the end of the game and I had no mud in the house!