Sidley the Wonder Dog!

Where did the snow balls go?

By

Jeanne Perciaccanto

Ultimate Dog Training

Snow brings out the child in all of us.  I’m not sure if it directly relates to those coveted snow days when school would be closed or the games as kids we could only play in the snow.

Preparation was an important part of the process and getting a new Flexible Flyer sled for Christmas made the wait unbearable. Carefully waxing the running blades of the sled with Butcher Wax to be sure no sticking and the fastest run possible would happen was part of the pre-game plan.

Grabbing our sleds and meeting up with friends all heading up to the local grade school with the best hill top for a day of what seemed like the closest thing to flying we could create while still connected to the earth.  Without necessity of traffic laws, direction on how to, nor parental guidance, we had fun, got wet, slipped and fell a bunch of times and learned to use our own best judgment. 

We would try crazy things such as standing on our sleds and doing our best to remain on them flying down hill with our arms outstretched for balance with little directional control long before snowboarding was invented. 

Grabbing onto the runner of a sled in front of us to build a sled train which often resulted in a major pile up at the bottom of the hill but the last sled had a wild ride!

Building snow packed ramps to simulate flight; we often went up and over landing in a heap on the other side. We loved it! 

Play challenged us to challenge ourselves.  This taught us to work well with others to accomplish group goals of play. We got some bumps and bruises; heading home wet and cold to a cup of hot chocolate and cookies our Mothers had waiting for us after getting in warm jammies which made for wonderful end to an active day!

We learned by trial and error how to control our environment.  We tested our own boundaries and limitations based on feel and intuition for what the desired outcome would bring us. What brought us joy or what resulted in bruises became a balancing act in achieving one and not the other but we accepted the bruises as part of learning.

As a group we designed our own rules of play.  Those breaking the rules were ostracized from the group and not sought out to play again. Punishment was having no friends.  The rules were simple.  No icy snow balls in “capture the fort” and quarter was given to those who said “Uncle!” No using your sled to run into others on the hill and walking areas were sacrosanct and out of bounds from where a sled could go.  No picking on or bullying the younger kids, giving them ample room ride.  The rules worked.

When we moved from the hill to the street we learned to trust and be trusted by others with our very lives.  Heading down the top of one street, riding across a main road to continue on down the next road, we waited for and trusted those standing on the main road to say “Go” when no cars were coming.  If they were wrong, we were dead.

Being in the snow was the reward.  Whether building snow forts for the inevitable snowball fight or making snow angles and snow men on the front lawn, a snow day was always a gift from the Heavens for kids to enjoy.  Only kids could take frozen water and create a magical world out of it.  In that world of magic, we learned to find our own balance and learn future valuable life lessons.  The rules we live by today, we learned in play.

Why?

A senior dogs lament.

By Jeanne Perciaccanto

Why am I here?  Where are you now?

I am sorry! I didn’t mean to age, I just did

. 

Did you really mean it when you said you would love me forever at eight weeks of age?

Was I wrong when I sat close to you in your sadness?

Did my play upset you when I was young and strong?

Are my slowed steps and loss of hearing harmful to you now?

Why, what have I done?

I didn’t mean to live too long and be in the way.

I am sorry your plans changed, can we find a way?

I gave you all I had to give, even this very day!

Why?  I became your dog forever in every way.

I waited for you come home each evening with joy in my heart.

I watched and protected as you slept.

I was proud to call you mine on those dark and stormy nights.

If I bring you the ball one more time will you take me home again?

You were all I have, what more can I give?

Why am I here?  Where are you now?

Why?

The heart can truly break!

by Jeanne Perciaccanto

This past week I was faced with the most difficult and devastating aspect of dog ownership, to terminate the end of a precious friend’s life. 

There is a distinct separation between the brain and the heart. 

I could see her decline. I knew she was sick and the sudden onset of an aggressive form of lymphoma would take her quickly. I had her to Vet twice in a few days before the final visit and her ultimate end.  

My heart fought against the inevitable.

As her life begun to decline, I could still see sparks of who my friend had always been still shine through.  More from her undeniable will to be for me, then anything I did for her.

Her desire to be with me increased.  She never left my side in the house.  Each time I had to leave, she stood at the door in anticipation of going for a car ride.

I began taking her to classes I teach, but when the distance of the walk through the building became more difficult for her, she was willing to wait in the car. I can only believe being there was more satisfying than being home.  I would see her sitting up in the back seat alert for my return as her life’s’ role had always been my guardian and guide.

The torment leading up to her demise was unbearable.  This was not the first time I had to face this decision, as all dogs come to this end all too quickly.  This time was more difficult to face than others for me, she had that special something.

She of course knew she was sick but I pray to she had no knowledge that her feeling ill was nothing more than a feeling, yet, I think dogs seem to have a better insight on death than we seem to be capable of understanding.

As the disease rapidly progressed, I could see there was something more going on with her than the lymphoma.  Her body shape seemed to slowly change. Her breathing became more labored at times and seemed to abate to normal at other times.  My brain analyzed what I saw but my heart was feeling the pain of acceptance.

As dog owners, we are forced to walk a fine line, our decisions always final.  We guess.  Is she capable of more or incapable continuing?  Is she struggling for me as I struggled within myself?  I watched for signs to make things seem normal and that I still had time together and mine to still love her.  She still told the cat to back off her food.  She told me to fill the water bowl.  She still loved her petting and back scratches and of course to take her favorite car rides.  Does her life still offer satisfaction in her older days or is it just a struggle to keep me happy?

The day I had to let her go, I was watching her as she slept on the floor.  Her chest exaggerated to expand more.  Her belly had become more distended over night and felt like it was becoming mushy.  I had realized what I was seeing over the past few days was her going into congestive heart failure.  This was confirmed when she was weighed and had gained back the 6 pounds she lost in two days without food intake to support this gain.  I knew it was her filling with fluids.  The decision was no longer mine to make.  Life had run its inevitable course and nature reached its final conclusion, it was time.

She was willing to go for that last car ride. She was willing to enter the Vet’s office for her last visit and accept her favorite treats.  She even willing got onto the lift table with a simple command of place, the best dog to the end.  She willingly and bravely accepted the shot to sedate her, gently falling asleep in my arms for one last time.  She willingly accepted her end with the grace and fortitude in which she lived it.

I, on the other hand, was and still am a blubbering mess.  My heart is broken at the loss of such a wonderful girl who touched so many lives with her playful spirit.  The best working dog who did whatever asked of her and more.  A pal I could go and play with or curl up on couch with on cold nights.

She gracefully left a life which had given its final all and I am left with a void in my life and a broken heart that feels like it will never heal.

She lived 14 years.  She was accidentally rescued from a shelter at 2 years old by a friend who was there to pick up another dog.  Not able to pass up that sweet face, my friend inquired about this little girl.  This was the day she scheduled to be put down, classified an unattainable dog they said but she showed them all in the end.

She ran probably a thousand miles in play.  She touched a thousand hearts with her skill and playful spirit.  She trained thousands of dogs in class as my training assistant.  She probably had a thousand car rides.  She left this life having lived it a thousand ways every day.

Sleep well my love until we meet again!

Stop dog abuse!

by

Jeanne Perciaccanto

While doing research for an educational program, I came upon a series of stories and pictures about dogs that stood and still stand guard over their owners who have passed on.

We all remember this iconic picture of a fallen hero and the dedicated love of his dog.

The loyalty and dedicated theses dogs freely give as devotion in life does not seem to end once the physical connection ceases to exist.

We know our dogs willingly give their lives and confront dangers to keep us safe.  Dogs in service with the military and police forge head first to willingly take the bullet.  Search and rescue dogs courageously enter unstable and dangerous rubble with a driven desire to search for life buried beneath.  Stories from war are filled with the heroism and tireless bravery dogs performed to assist our soldiers in the heat of battle. 

The stories of dogs that stand guard over their deceased owners is the most telling aspect to the true nature of dog and man.  There are no visible ties, no received rewards, no safety nor comfort for them in their final role as that of loyal companion.

Our dogs appear to have made a silent pact with us.  “I will forever be your dog!”  They ask little to nothing in return for their devotion.  Food, water and some meaningful time is not a fair exchange for a life offered or forfeit of their lives for our safety.  This indelible bond is neither tangible nor substantive.  It exists because dogs exist. 

Our history of dogs indicates humans domesticated dogs for our needs in service and work.  I suspect we were the domesticated ones as dogs chose to assist us in our struggle to survive. 

However, we have cheated our dogs and broken that bond showing ourselves unworthy of the honor and dignity they bestow upon us every day.   Thousands of years spent breeding dogs for our purpose to now tell them they are not allowed to be what we have created.

Patiently they await our enlightenment as their daily lives become certain boredom.  Calmly they accept our ignorance as to who and what they truly are, in anticipation of the day when they can run free and are once again a part of the nature born in them. Virtuously they allow the same mistakes to play out in town after town as “no dogs allowed” signs mark their inevitable demise making their world smaller each day.

The most egregious indignity of all is the allowance of their mass slaughter.  We use the word humane to appease the inhumanity of our actions.  We offer no solution other than finger pointing and blame as these most devoted creatures slips from a life committed to the safety and protection of those whose final act is betrayal. “ I will forever be your dog” becomes “I am sorry for not being enough of what you wanted of me!” 

We give up when they never do.  We create the problem and when the dog becomes what we have created, we kill them out of laziness and single minded ideology.

No longer are we connected to the husbandry that created dog as mans’ best friend but rather forced to slip quietly into the world of politically correct nonsense void of any singular reference to the actual workings of the dogs’ mind.

We use words like welfare and rights as a badge of honor.  Words which have become synonymous with the death and destruction of a animal dedicated to our well-being.  Laws implemented to blindly destroy a dog for how it looks rear its ugly head.  Legal entanglements designed to steal dogs from their homes and render untimely deaths under the guise of compassion shows us for what we really are, ignorant of the value of the life we designed.  We have become dishonest with our own needs as dog owners.  No longer are dogs seen as a natural being but rather a mindless child incapable of anything other than tricks and costume modeling.

The single greatest source of animal abuse is from those politicians and organizations who most promote humane treatment of dogs by implementing laws whose main intent is putting more dogs into the raging holocaust.

Politicians fearing lawsuits against the town enact laws limiting the very outlets that help reduce dog problems.  They disregard common sense approaches for fear of liabilities such as recommending dog training as part of the licensing agreement.  Certainly kill the dog rather train it!  The institution of laws to stop training or training tools that actual produces result and replace with it what makes us emotionally feel good even if the dogs’ life is in the balance. 

As a plea bargain, towns build dog parks too small to accommodate the number of dogs attending, turning most into local fight arenas accompanied by clueless owners void of any idea of how read dog behavior or body language beyond what they learn on the internet or from a book. 

For thousands of years our dogs have brought solace, comfort, assistance and practical help into our daily lives.  They have watched over our young, our food stores, our flocks and our homes only to reach a point in history where their very existence has become so very fragile.  Our greatest form of compassion towards mans’ best friend is to proclaim the humane way in which we resolve our own incompetence through the mass slaughter of an animal whose sole purpose has been to protect and defend us.

Jeanne Perciaccanto Ultimate Dog Training www/ultimatedogtraining.com

Remote collar

This is a testimonial letter from a client about the use of the remote collar and benefits in just a few sessions.

Dear Jean;

I'm just writing this letter to let you know that you have been an enormous help in the training of our Australian Shepherd, Doc. As you know, when we brought him to you he was very nervous and distractible (even though he had been in obedience training classes before) and would not listen to our commands when he became distracted or anxious.

I have to admit that when I first heard about your techniques I was a little hesitant because I was not crazy about the idea of using a "shock collar". But the person who referred me to you had gotten such good results (you may recall it was a dog who constantly would attack people) with her dog that I decided to follow through.

I was very happy when I found out that you really didn't use the shock collar as punishment; but rather as a way of reinforcing verbal commands. The level you used was way below what I could even feel and yet he responded beautifully.

I have to tell you that as a New Jersey license psychologist as well as a professor of psychology for 32 years, I was impressed with your level of understanding both the nature of the breed and the pack mentality of dogs in general, as well as an advanced knowledge of the principles of psychological conditioning. I have always taught my students that reinforcements do not work unless they are applied immediately and the use of your collar greatly facilitates this process.

So, even after just three sessions, we seem to have a new dog. He is much calmer and responds more easily to every command we make. We look forward to working with you on other difficulties that Doc has been having which is socializing with new dogs and strangers.

Thank you so much for all your help!

With Regards,

Neil J Lavender, PhD

Why won't my dog listen to me?

I had a training appointment several towns over.  I had asked the owner for specific directions.  Once I was off the main roads, my directions became unclear and incomplete.  The forth right turn was actually the sixth left.  The name of road changed once I crossed an intersection, a point of necessity they failed to give me.  I back tracked a few times and where they said they were, well, they weren't.  An hour later and 6 phone calls with no answer, I finally found the house.  The owner apologized and admitted to not really knowing the road names.  Yes, I now have a GPS!

 

Over the past 30 years as a professional dog trainer, I have had many conversations with dog owners and infinitely more with dogs.

I find dog owners to be good people seeking to live in harmony and calm with the dogs they love dearly.  I also find that our dogs are looking for the same thing from us.

Rarely is the perfect dog seemingly never in need of training found.  You know the ones' I speak of, the dog that appears to needs little or no training, seems to understand every word you say, is devoted and completely focused on your every need.  You know, the dog other people have had the good fortune of getting instead of you!

These ideal pets never seem to experience the normal puppy stages of teething, chewing, barking, jumping and have manged to house train themselves according to some unwritten code of conduct.

As many of you, I have never found one of these dogs either.  Whether adult or puppy, all my dogs have needed to be taught and learn what I need them to do to live with me and maintain my sanity.

What I have found is most of the dogs who are dedicated problem dogs are also very smart, creative problem solvers and can be trained very nicely with clear and consistent information that helps the dog find balance in their behaviors.

Dogs are not born bad, they are born as well, dogs.
What makes it possible for dogs to live within our social structure and become our companions, sport and service dogs is unique to dogs alone.
No other animal lives with nor does for us the same way a dog can.
They speak a language we as humans are just beginning to understand more fully, yet for over 15,000 years, dogs have been not only a working partner but a loving companion.  Somehow, without benefit of modern day behavioral studies into how dogs think and learn, we as humans and dogs have managed to live together in a successful and productive partnership.

Dogs are honest.  They tell you everything they will do or become, we just have to learn to listen, observe and be willing to teach what they will need to live with us as a companion.
Their learning is series of building blocks.  If they can do A, then B will surely follow as the next step. If you call your dog and they don't come right away and you go to get them, then "Come" now means don't move forward but stay still, someone will come and get you.  Lets go to step B.  When you call and the dog steps away to see if you will follow, then "Come" means move away.  Step C becomes chase and finally the command to "Come" mean run away really fast.
You dog has been listening to you!

We are confusing and conflicted with speech, manner and expectations.
Just as with getting or giving directions, we become unclear and confusing.  We may know exactly what we mean but have difficulty in expressing it in such a way to make it clear for others to follow and understand.

How many different ways do we say "sit" having the same expectation but a variety of meanings in both language and manner for our dogs.  "Sit down," "Sit there," "Sit, sit, sit!"

Our dogs are listening very closely to what we say.
If they are not doing what you want, then many you are not saying it clearly enough for them to understand,

Angels of Light

Angels of Light

Be my Angel of Light
My dog, my life.

Open the wondrous mystery of nature for me through your eyes.
Let me see the world a new in your first puppy steps.
Keep me centered firmly in play.
Help me understand the transitions of youth and age.
Honor me with your grace in those days of slower steps.
Privilege me in your composure on that final day.

Be my Angel of Light as I follow your foot steps in the years to come.

In honor of all the personal, rescue and clients dogs who have entered and touch my heart with their light.
Jeanne Perciaccanto

The Learning Curve

The Leaning Curve

When someone calls to have their dog trained, they do so by first telling me what behaviors they seek to stop. Then, they tell me all the things the dog does well.
This a normal response. Owners don’t want people think their dog is bad, just that there are a few things that need to be cleared up to make living with them a pleasure.

Typically, the jumping, barking, biting, pulling, running away or not coming when called
are the main “BAD” things owners seek to stop.
The good things usually are the dog is house trained, very loving, isn’t destructive, good with the kids or doesn’t do one of the afore mentioned “bad” things.
So it would seem that when the dog is bad, it really bad and when good, really good!

So which is it?
Is the dog good or bad?

Actually, they are neither!

I never look at a dog as being good or bad.
I see them a series of learned behaviors.

Anything a dog does was learned in some manner.
What they learn may not be what the owner hopes they will learn, but in the learning curve; the owner has given credence to what the dog ultimately does.

You call your dog! Easy enough to understand what the end result should be, the dog comes to you!
But in the learning curve, you may have called your dog, it didn’t come, so you went to them.
At some point your dog also learns were the end of you arm is and how to stay just outside of your reach to not be caught.
Now the game is a foot as they say.
“Come” now means, run away as fast as you can and what was a simple command morphs into a game of catch me - catch me.
They are having fun running around and think you must be as well, since you keep playing along by chasing them!

The intended course of action was to teach the dog to come but the learning curve became run away.
Your dog isn’t being a bad dog, rather, a very smart dog since they learned exactly what you taught them!

When your dog pulls on a leash, a cause and effect reaction sets in. They pull away from you, you pull them back and they in turn pull away.
Some people compensate for this by keeping the leash short, holding the dog next to them. The dog hasn’t learned not pull but when to pull.
The dog doesn’t have any idea where they should be walking because they continually rely upon leash pressure to indicate action.
The learning curve is, I will pull until you indicate doing something else by your pulling me.
If the leash were taken completely out of the picture, where would your dog end up?
All dogs should learn to walk as thought there is no leash connected to them.

Training is not about correction but about a teaching process that informs the dog of the full context and positional placement of each command.
If the learning curve is clear, simple and concise, the end result will be a well trained dog.

Jeanne Perciaccanto has been a professional dog trainer for 30 years. She has training and behavioral article translated into over 10 languages around the world. Ultimate Dog Training
Offers obedience-behavioral-social dog services.
www.ultimatedogtraining.com

Comparative Learning

Comparative Learning
by
Jeanne Perciaccanto
Ultimate Dog Training
www.ultimatedogtraining.com


Why or in some case despite all obstacles, does a dog learn?

How is it, one dog can go through multiple training sessions and never learn to sit, yet take the same dog to a different trainer and the dog is sitting and staying quickly?
Is the dog different or the training different?
Are the trainers more in tune with the dog or do the owners see the training process differently?

I believe the answer lays between all worlds.

Watching dogs in large off leash social groups for years, I had the opportunity to observe how they learn from and teach each other.

First, dogs live in the world of allowance and consequence.
This sounds very simplistic which it is not.
There are many levels of conversational and corrective body language that dogs use with each other. Here are just a few behaviors you might see for both expressions of language.

Conversational language of course would be things such as: play posture; vocalization; seeking chase; invitation with toys; calming signals and ignoring or walking away from as a sort of talk to the paw comment.
Corrective language would be actions such as: eye set; tail carriage; growling; raised lip or showing front teeth; alpha roll ( yes they do); biting; snapping and nipping; chase away; pawing; climbing on and draping head over neck. They would also use ignoring and walking away to correct.
Most interaction are a combination of both. A dog unsure of another dogs’ intentions may rely on calming signals or play language to assess the full intent and potential behavior.
Basically they seek some form of a response without being fully direct or perceived confrontational.
These languages are comparative learning which produces self control.
Watch a pup who was corrected for trying to take a bone away from another dog. The corrected dog learns to give a wide berth the next time that particular dog is eating a bone.
They are not being made to leave them alone, self control is keeping them from going back and trying to take the bone.


Second, puppies learn through trial and error.
They test and explore their own personal limitations and boundaries both physically and emotionally. They do this by simply doing. In this process they learn how to achieve all their basic survival and life saving skills, along with social boundaries and pack structure.
They also learn how to get what they want and need from other pack members which includes us.
A example of trial and error would be paws up. A puppy puts its paws up on us and we pick them up. They repeat this a few times and have learned how to get picked up.
Puppies nervous in a play group may vocalize from fear of the unknown and find each time the are vocal, it draws the other dogs attention on to them but being quiet the dogs stay away. So in trial and error, the nervous dogs learn how to control their environment by being silent. Self control over vocalization is taking place.


So what is Comparative Learning and how do we need to use it?
Dogs assess everything they do by comparing. I do this and that happens. I put my paws up on another dog and get growled at. I bark in another dogs face and get chased away.
I pick up a toy and run, the others dogs follow and chase me.
They do and a response happens directly to their behavior.
They climb onto an unstable surface a fall off, they learn to test the surface the next time.

We cannot make our dogs do anything they do not want to do.
You can use as many treats or correct the dog as many times and the end result will be the same. Dogs will only do what is in their best interest.
We have seen in so many situations when a dog refuses a treat because the value of the distraction is higher. So treats are not the answer.
We have also seen dogs, despite leashes and collars, will still drag the owner down the street when the distraction value is high enough. Leashes and collars are not the answer.

So neither food nor equipment trains a dog.
But owners are ever hopeful to use and rely on either to get their dog to listen to them.
Makes you think our dogs are smarter than we are!

Training if done right, allows the dog an opportunity to assess and compare behaviors. The dog is the one choosing to sit and stay, we do not make them do so nor can we.

Comparative learning is when the dogs is able to determine the best course of action for themselves in any circumstance.
It is taught in the smallest part of the learning curve by marking thought not action.
This requires the trainer/handler to be able to read the dogs thought process and see where and when the marking needs to take place.
Is it an eye glance, a leg movement, a body lean or any number of indicators to what the dog may be is thinking.
Marking behaviors is a skilled technique and all to often done improperly for the dog to learn clearly.
If you mark the wrong moment, you may in fact teach the dog do something you don’t want. They need to clearly understand exactly what they did in that moment that they were rewarded for.
The same is true with correction. If the correction is poorly timed, you will end up marking the wrong part of the thought process.
Heel is taught first by getting the dog to just look at you.
Stay by getting the dog to become emotionally calm.
Come by teaching the dog what being next to means first.

They have to find the value in what they do through comparison.
Dogs are reward first via marking thought as it progresses closer to what will eventually become the final desired action. Correction is later used to help the dog further define a more exact moment in behavior.
Since dogs teach with correction, dogs learn when correction is used appropriately in defining thought.

Comparative learning teaches our dogs to develop self control which is the end result for all training.
The dog must be able to ascertain the appropriateness of what they are doing.
In learning to self control, our dogs create a fuller life as true companions.

One lucky boy!

I received the best Christmas present this year.
It wasn't wrapped in a decorative package with bows.
It came in the form of a phone call from a dog owner on Christmas Eve.

This about a 6 year old Greyhound who lost his right front leg to cancer.
He is doing well from the surgery and has full mobility. He loves to run and play with his house mate but he lost more than his leg, he lost his confidence particularly on stairs.
He learned to adapt to everything else in life but his adaptive process, using his back legs to propel him up into the van, was not functional to use on stairs.
This boy is lucky however, he has owners who were dedicated to helping him live a full life once again.

The problem they were facing was the home they would be moving to has stairs and many of them.
Two levels of stairs to get into the house and a flight to the upper living level inside the home.
The current home had no stairs. The owners realizing a potential problem tried to use a neighbors front steps in an attempted to get him doing stairs using treats before the move but to no avail.

He was scarred and lacked in the self confidence to balance and support his body while moving his legs independently required to go up steps.

My goal was to help him re-learn balance and trust in his own abilities to adapt once more this time to stairs.

None of this would have worked had the owners not been dedicated to helping their dog past his fears.

We started slowly. The first was to get him walking and stepping on something different and foreign to him.
I placed a small, collapsible A-frame flat on the ground. Flat and low but had just a little bit of movement when stepped onto. At first I used treats to try and lure him forward, no go for the treats.
So we adapted and just had the owner walk him to the board and limit his options of being able to move around and away from it or to just jump over by completely avoiding the board.

We built one movement forward at a time. One foot, then another until finally standing and choosing to get on and off by his own design.

We built the degree of difficulty slowly by changing the level and angle for him to step onto and walk up. The goal was to build confidence, self control, balance and to use his legs independently while maintaining support.

Then we limited his options to keep him from seeking to jump over or away from and praised him wildly for making a move forward.
Each forward progress was met with lots of praise. After a repetition of behavior, he was rewarded with play time.

In between our session, his owner found stairs for him to climb. First big wide steps that would allow for stopping and balancing between steps. He starting with just a few step, increasing to as many as twelve steps up and down.

We ended our first hurdle by accomplishing an achievement past fear. The big fellow had made a self discovery by starting to trust himself and his owner to keep him safe.

We continued to increase the degree of difficulty by changing the angle, level and surfaces for him to step onto, up and over.

Once he accomplished the first stages of getting up and onto a surface, we repeated this a few times and at some point confidence set in he did it by himself.

Our last session we took him to a friends house who had eight steps up the front of her house but built in the typical size, narrow and steep.
He didn't like them at first and refused to try. We limited his options and the owner went up the stairs with him one at a time holding onto his vest handle and I handled the back end to keep him from rolling backwards.
He made it to the top and we cheered.
Down he went and after two more tries, he was heading up and down the stairs on is own as proud as could be!

We talked about the possibility of altering and adapting the outside stairs up to the new house by either making them wider or adding another landing or two. The builder was able to come up with some variations and we hit on something that would work well.

I got my best Christmas present when the owner called me Christmas Eve to tell me his boy is walking up and down not only the outside steps but the more difficult inside stairs on his own.
The owner said he was sitting and having a cup of coffee in the morning was greeted by his big fellow standing next to him in the kitchen on the second floor. He came up the stairs all by himself!

This is one lucky boy! His owners never gave up on hoping for his having the best life possible. Nor did they chose to get rid of him because he didn't fit their lifestyle needs.

Dog Food for Training

Dog owners are becoming more savvy!
Owners are seeking ways to connect with their dogs in training classes, group meet ups, social pack walks and taking their dogs to the dog park for some off leash fun!
Yet many are unaware that what they feed their dogs daily effects how well their dogs’ will train, behave, learn and develop self control.

The Brain is the engine that runs the body but what fuels the Brain?
Sugar!
The brain runs on glucose (sugar) but it is not able to store its own reserve of glucose, so the Brain must be fed to keep you awake and alert!

Think of the times you have grabbed for candy, caffeine or cookies to off set the sluggishness of late afternoon mental fatigue. Your brain is calling for energy and your body knows it needs glucose, so the body drives you towards sugar.
Simple sugar in cookies and candy offers the fastest source of glucose but it only gives you a short jump start for that necessary brain power.
Continual use of simple sugars has your Brain cycling through running highs and lows during the day.
A nutritional way to stem these cycles is to properly eat complex carbohydrates with your meals.

What does glucose really do?
Our bodies require glucose to maximize all the cellular energy our bodies need to keep functioning effectively. The catalyst for the control and metabolism of glucose is the pancreas which produces insulin. Insulin maintains blood sugar levels entering the muscles and brain cells. Poor pancreatic function lessens how glucose is used properly by the body.
Low sugar levels, Hypoglycemia, can cause lethargy, impaired mental function, and irritability, weakness and becoming easily stressed or confused.
Too much simple sugar intake throws the pancreases into over drive which over time limits its ability to properly control sugar intake as it should.
High sugar levels can lead to Diabetes.

What happens when extra sugar isn't needed for energy?
Glucose is there for energy but when not needed for immediate use, it is stored as glycogen until the body demands energy.
An over weight and obese dog is eating too much simple sugar which becomes stored fat. Fat is glucose which has been converted into glycogen.
The reserve of glycogen is kept until needed for energy. If sugar is continually put into the diet, the glycogen is never used and the body continues to store the additional glucose. Glycogen is not only stored under the skin but also stored around internal organs such as the liver.

Sugar comes in two forms, simple and complex.
Simple sugar is broken down, digested and used very quickly and requires more to sustain energy needs. It contains little to no nutritional value.
Simple sugars would come from sugar, fructose, wheat, corn, honey, to name a few.

Complex carbohydrates have nutrient value and breaks down by digesting more slowly. Digesting more slowly gives the body longer access to valuable glucose, giving the muscles and brain energy resources as needed to maintain focus and activity.
Sources of complex carbohydrates would be oats, barley, legumes, and whole wheat.

Our dogs can’t ask for a cup or coffee or tell you they are fatigued, or do they?

Are there certain times of day your dog seems to have high or low energy, mental focus and attention? How long before or after feeding do these behaviors start?

Are you having difficulty training your dog or they just don’t seem to get it no matter how many repetitions or varied ways you try and teach?
Does your dog mentally wander or no longer focuses on known commands?
Is your once stable dog becoming cranky?
Have a normally dog friendly dog not interested in or seem bothered by or snaps at dogs they normally enjoy playing with?

If you have a normally well balanced dog that seems to have highs and lows in behavior, attention and activity, they may be having blood sugar rise and drops through out the day. Do they train better in the morning or evening, before or after eating?

Food for thought, you may look into changing their food to change their behavior.
Visit www.dogfoodplus.com for information on behavior and food.




Jeanne Perciaccanto is a Dog trainer with over 25 years professional experience. She also holds Science and Health degrees.

NJ elections - dog owners beware!

If you live in NJ check this list out to see a list of those running for office.
Those in favor of the animal rights agenda are not in favor of dog ownership or dogs in general. They seek to remove our rights to own dogs one bill and legislation at a time.
I urge you to vote those approved by SAOVA. The SAOVA approved are opposed to PETA and HSUS legislation and those bought by animal (deplorable) welfare groups.

Remember, PETA and HSUS have been supported by unsuspecting loving dog owners who have paid millions for the lobbyists who now try and remove dogs from loving homes via legislative bills.

http://saova.org/2008/NewJersey08.html

Animal laws around the US.

Here are new lists of proposed an newly enacted animals laws around our U.S.A.

Read and weep for what was and were our animals lives are going.

http://monthlynationallegislationreport.blogspot.com/

News facts or sensationalisim

The views expressed in these blog posts are those of the author and not of the Chicago Sun-Times.

No Kill Blog

Nathan J. Winograd is the Director of the national No Kill Advocacy Center. He is a graduate of Stanford Law School, an author, and is a frequent media spokesperson on animal sheltering issues.

Do Pit Bulls Get a Bad Rap?

Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Do Pit Bulls get a bad rap? The question is, of course, rhetorical.

In a recent Seattle case, a local television news story ran the headline: “School Plumbers Save Girl From Pit Bull Attack.”

The story opened with a vivid and frightening image: “A 9-year-old girl was on the playground at Lafayette Elementary School when a pit bull attacked her. She was bruised and sore, but not seriously hurt thanks to two men who bravely stepped in to save her.”

At the risk of being pedantic, let’s break that out:

1. A Pit Bull
2. Attacked
3. The Girl needed to be saved
4. If she had not been saved, she would have been seriously hurt.

Before reading further, imagine the horrific scene as described.

But is that what actually happened? According to police reports, a 9-year-old girl was playing on the school's playground when a brown-and-white pit bull puppy "was playing with her shoelace and accidentally bit her left ankle.” The pit bull puppy, which was not aggressive and sitting on the playground when police arrived, was taken by a Seattle Animal Shelter officer.

Let’s break that out:

1. A puppy
2. Played with her shoelaces
3. In trying to grab the shoelaces with his mouth, he got skin
4. The puppy was not aggressive
5. When police arrived, the puppy was just sitting on the playground.

The reality and the false image created could not be more striking. But it is not an aberration.

In a separate incident indicative of this bias, results of temperament testing on a puppy in Portland’s (OR) animal control system showed the following:

1. The puppy was easy to leash from the kennel
2. Tail and “whole rear end” were wagging
3. Gets playful
4. Readily approaches everyone in a friendly manner
5. Readily approaches handler in a friendly manner
6. No guarding seen when back is petted
7. No guarding seen when ears are checked
8. No guarding seen when food bowl is removed
9. General mouthiness and whirls around when tail is stroked
10. General mouthiness and gets excited when two front paws are picked up
11. Allows teeth exam (mild struggle)
12. Allows exam and interested in attention during whole body hug

The puppy was killed for aggression—consistent with the fact that the agency kills the vast majority of all Pit Bulls by similarly labeling them as “unadoptable” after temperament testing, a de facto ban on the breed.

At the Philadelphia Animal Care & Control Association during my visit several years ago, staff had determined that a “Pit Bull puppy” needed to be killed for “food aggression.” Put aside the fact that the dog turned out to be a two-year old Boston Terrier mix. The dog was only 8 pounds, severely malnourished and was hungry. After I intervened, the dog was adopted. His adopter sent the following several weeks later:

He is now 23 pounds-–he gained 15 pounds in 5 weeks, and he could probably stand to gain 1 or 2 more pounds. He no longer walks on his joints, his malnourished legs couldn't hold him up before and he was walking totally improperly. Now he stands tall.

Pit Bull advocates have long believed that this type of reporting and results are the result of breed stereotypes. And with the nation’s self-proclaimed “experts” feeding fuel to the fire, the deck appears stacked against them.

Now, a recent study published last month by a team from the University of Pennsylvania supports this point of view. According to the team of researchers, “Information on breed-specific aggressiveness derived from such sources may be misleading due to … the existence of breed stereotypes.”

The Pennsylvania study surveyed more than 30 breeds of dogs. According to the study’s authors, the most aggressive breeds of dogs in terms of aggression to people were Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, Beagles, Jack Russell Terriers, Australian Cattle Dogs, Cocker Spaniels and Border Collies in that order. However, before we develop irrational fears of these breeds, those results showed levels of aggression in dogs were generally at less than 10% of all dogs and included even minor “nips” of the owner no matter how insignificant or what the trigger was. The study is also very problematic for other reasons and it is doubtful that Dachsunds, Beagles, and other breeds are worthy of the distinction.

Nonetheless, the incident rates are consistent with progressive shelters nationwide; proving that the vast majority of dogs—including Pit Bulls—are friendly. In Tompkins County, NY, the open admission animal shelter found that roughly 92-93% of all dogs were not aggressive to kids, cats, or dogs and therefore safe to be adopted (the number was slightly lower at 86% if you isolate Pit Bulls as a breed, but that still represents roughly nine out of ten dogs).

This outcome has also been confirmed by the American Temperament Test results which gave the three breeds typically identified as Pit Bulls—American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, and Staffordshire Bull Terrier—a combined pass rate of 86.6%, higher than the Golden Retriever.

As I have said before, if we take this as a representative sample of dogs in society, then we do not have either an epidemic or even a significant problem of dangerous dogs in the United States that would justify a further clamp-down of Pit Bulls (or any dogs for that matter). If, on the other hand, we take dogs who enter shelters to be at higher risk of aggression (say, for the sake of argument, we can show that they have less training, spend more time isolated outdoors, have less care than dogs who do not enter shelters), then the situation is actually of less concern since we would expect to see more aggression in shelter dogs than dogs who live with their families their whole lives. And given that 93% of shelter dogs are friendly to kids, cats and dogs—the number is higher if we just isolate aggression to people (about 96-97%)—the fear-based hysteria of dangerous dogs and Pit Bulls becomes demonstrably false. On top of this, the vast majority of the remainder will never bite.

What is true, however, is that public health authorities, dog bite lawyers, legislators, animal control shelters, police departments, humane societies, and even national animal welfare groups argue that millions of people are bitten every year by dogs. Some of these groups call for a ban on certain breeds, others claim we need to teach or enforce “responsible pet ownership;” others seek more and tougher laws. But just because they say it is so doesn’t make it so.

And while our hearts go out to the victims of serious dog bite attacks, there is little in the way of evidence that more regulation, more laws, further crackdowns on dogs is justified as a way to prevent these. At the end of the day, the vast majority of Pit Bulls are friendly and will never act aggressively, dogs are already heavily regulated, and there is little by way of additional public policy initiatives (e.g., legislation) that is needed in trying to prevent a “dog bite epidemic” that simply does not exist.

Animal protection groups should stop focusing on this type of fear-based advocacy, stop perpetuating myths, and start educating the public about the truth regarding the dogs they theoretically exist to protect, who they fundraise off of, and who they claim they are working to save. It is not the job of an animal protection group to mimic the claims of a dog bite lawyer. Where there is fear and misinformation which would call for a crackdown on dogs and dog lovers, with little justification and through methods that provide little in the way of actual protection, it is our job to quell that, not fan the flames of distortion, as they so often do.

We will never eliminate risk in society. We can minimize it, but in the case of dogs, there is little more that can and should be done. And, in many ways, we need to undo some of the laws and regulations because they allow friendly dogs to be killed without making anyone safer (such as breed bans).

Dogs are already heavily regulated: they must be licensed with local authorities, they cannot go in public places without a leash (if at all), they must be vaccinated against rabies, you can’t live with more than a small number of them, animal control officers can seize and destroy them if they determine that they are a nuisance, and the threshold of making a determination that they are dangerous and subject to extermination puts dogs at a disadvantage, even when the facts show otherwise. Together, license laws, leash laws, vaccination laws, pet limit laws, nuisance laws, health codes, property laws, and dangerous dog laws control dogs, in concert with an animal sheltering system built on overkill, that there is little justification to tighten the noose even further.

Furthermore, banning Pit Bulls or any breed of dog is geared to overkill by definition because—media hysteria to the contrary—the vast majority of dog bites occur within the home by many breeds, with the dog biting a member of the family after some provocation, a different causal mechanism than the false image presented: an epidemic of free roaming Pit Bulls attacking unknown children or the elderly. As a result, a breed ban won’t stop the vast majority of dog bites. On top of that, roughly 20% of those bites are a result of the dog defending him or her-self from being attacked.

And although breed specific legislation proponents like to say that millions of Americans are bitten every year (a dubious proposition), what they don’t say is that, even if that were true (it is not), over 92% of dog bites result in no injuries. Let me repeat, over nine out of ten bites that do occur result in no one getting hurt. And of the remaining 8%, 7.5% are minor. In fact, they are less severe than any other class of injury. That leaves less than 1% (0.08% to be exact) of all bites ranking at moderate or above.

Moreover, recent research shows that the number of dog bites are on the decline and have been falling for the last three decades to all-time lows. And while the vast majority are insignificant, the majority of serious bites were determined to be “largely preventable.” I am not downplaying even the death or maiming of a single person. It is tragic. And as an animal control director, I had no tolerance for the adoption of aggressive dogs. But creating public policy—and shelter standards—needs careful and thoughtful deliberation, not incendiary fanaticism based on an irrational fear of the Pit Bull.

For further reading.

Blogs/Websites:

KC Dog Blog: www.kcdogblog.com
National Canine Research Council: www.nationalcanineresearchcouncil.com

HSUS a Cash COW

200 million in the bank isn't enough to keep this animal rights group in a fancy office. Not only haven't they spent one dime on the care and welfare of a single animal but they charge shelters hefty consultations fees to boot.
Animals are a cash COW for this group.

Read more here.
http://www.rexano.org/HSUS_Congress_animal_rights_bills_Frame.htm

Democrates hate dogs

As a former Democrat supporter I have found they are anti dog, I can no longer support the party in any way.

Why do I say this. First lets look at what has happened over the last two years since they have been the majority.
Gas prices have become out of control.. The housing market is falling a part. Food prices are reaching a point of untouchable for most families. Jobs are on the decline. The dollar has fallen to its lowest in, well its never been this low.

The presidential candidates are blaming Bush, but guess who makes the laws, the democratic Senate and congress. So it isn't Bush's fault but those who find it perfectly fine to bleed money, the Democrats.

Now lets talk dogs.
Under our constitution we are granted certain rights to life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. My dogs make me happy, so the laws which make it difficult to own, breed, travel and enjoy are against my constitutional rights.
Laws designed to make dog ownership difficult, stifling, confusing and illegal are against all dog owners rights to pursuit of happiness.

The democratic party is doing everything it can to take our rights as dog owners away. Check out where the democratic party members are getting support form that they need to pay back in the form of favors and support for legislation!
One state, one county, one municipality at a time.
It has reached a point that to cross these great United States, dog owners have to contact all states, towns and counties they will pass through to find out if the dog they own can pass through said towns.
If you own a Pit Bull, Doberman, Rottweiler, German Shepard, crossing he wrong boarder can mean you dog will be taken away and euthanized.
Think this is unfounded. talk to those who have lost their dogs for driving through the wrong town!

Who passes these unconstitutional laws, all Democrats.
Every single one, not just a few but every dog law is supported and sponsored by Democrats.
Want to prevent more stupid laws, get rid of Democrats and keep your dog safe in your home and in your car.

February - National Dog Resolutions Months

What!
New Years Eve we declare a list of resolutions to make our lives better.
We swear in this new year we will do all things we have been wanting to
do but never got around to because of a million reasons (excuses) why not!

What about our dogs. Have you made a resolution for them?

Do you promise to walk them more, play with them more or teach them
to do the things which will make them better companions?

So lets declare February Doggie Resolution month.
Here is a simple check list of Doggie to do's:

1. Do you walk your dog daily?
Not just potty walks but getting out there
and moving. It will also help you with one of your resolutions. If your
dog isn't good on the leash, making walks difficult, teach them how.
Take some training classes.

2. Does your dog travel with you?
They get bored sitting around the house all day, every day. Take them with you.
Make them a part of your life as much as you can. If they are not good in
public, then find distraction classes to teach them the boundaries of good
behavior.

3. Do you feel comfortable getting them to the beach or park and letting
them run off leash?
Dogs love to run free. Those with door bolters and fence jumpers know
this all too well! All dogs should be taught off leash training. These dogs
are more focused, attached to their owners, calmer and much happier!

4. Does your dog understand basic commands and can they do them
when needed?
A dog who can sit with no distraction but can't with company walking through
your door simply doesn't know how to sit, teach them. You will be proud when
company comes over and you will probably have company over more often
if your dog is well behaved.

Your dog waits for you to come home every day.
They ask very little of you, make your Doggie Resolution to be more
active with your dog!

Really bad NJ breeding bill!

The passage of this bill

will force good in home breeders out and bring commercial
breeding industry in their place.

Puppies will not have the quality attention, affection,
socialization and warmth of a family setting to prepare them
for futures within our homes.

Contact your representatives and tell them to vote no!
Protect our future litters!
The Animal Welfare Act was developed by PETA and Animal
Rights groups who have no real care or concern for a family
pet.  PETA killed 97% of the dogs they took in for adoption
last year. Are these  the right people to develop laws about
our pets?

The rules and regulations they are suggesting are arbitrary
and unfounded as a necessity for safety or health of litters.
They only put unnecessary fiscal burdens on breeders.


SOUND THE ALARM!
OPPOSE NJ Assembly Bill A1591

Help defeat New Jersey Assembly Bill A1591 which proposes to
effectively end hobby breeding in New Jersey and threatens
the rights of responsible breeders.  A1591 denies citizens the
ability to purchase a puppy or kitten from a responsible
breeder in their own state.

A1591 ranks as one of the most radical and repressive
anti-dog/cat and anti-breeder bills that has ever been
presented in the United States.

Key points of A1591:
•   Defines a "pet dealer" as anyone who sells or offers for
sale more than 5 animals per year, and requires them to follow
federal regulations set forth by the Animal Welfare Act. 
Being defined as a "dealer" puts hobby breeders into a whole
new category.
•   Requires breeders to comply with a host of restrictive
regulations, with no scientific basis,  and institutes steep
fines for violations.
•   All breeders would be required to comply with draconian
regulations including maintaining specified temperatures,
keeping animals  only on nonporous surfaces, and circulating
air at precise levels-- conditions impossible to meet in a
family home.
•   The measure mandates the acceptable dimensions for crates
and runs, and sets minimum socialization standards, not
consistent with accepted animal husbandry practices.
•   All breeders are required to register annually with the
Department
of Health.  This list will be published and made available
to the public.
•   Violations can be punished with unreasonable penalties--a
$5,000
fine for a first offense or suspension of the license to sell
pets.
•   A member of the public who
supplies information that results in fines or suspension will
be eligible for an award of 10 percent of the
civil penalty or $250, whichever is greater--and they are
granted immunity, even in unsubstantiated cases.

ACT NOW! OPPOSE A1591, which would effectively end RESPONSIBLE
BREEDING in NJ.

1. Tell your NJ Assembly representatives and the bill sponsors
that
you OPPOSE this bill, which is not pro-animal, not even
pro-consumer;
it is simply anti-breeder:
http://tinyurl.com/2gw3jb (National Animal Interest Alliance
Trust)

2. Urge the NJ Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources
Committee
members to OPPOSE this bill.  Get additional background and
contact
information at: http://tinyurl.com/259s34 (AKC)

NJ ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
Chair – Douglas H. Fisher (856) 455-1011 or (856) 251-9801
AsmFisher@njleg.org
Vice Chair – Nelson T. Albano (609) 465-0700 AsmAlbano@njleg.org
John F. Amodeo (no number published) AsmAmodeo@njleg.org
Herb Conaway Jr. (856) 461-3997 AsmConaway@njleg.org
Marcia A. Karrow (908) 782-5127 AswKarrow@njleg.org

BILL SPONSORS
Neil M. Cohen – (908) 624-0880 AsmCohen@njleg.org 
Joan M. Voss – (201) 346-6400 AswVoss@njleg.org

Cost of training your dog?

What is the real cost factor when you seek a training program or service?
Have you thought about what the real value is in having your dog professional trained?

The most expensive training is the program which does not meet or exceed your expectations! The cost of a program is not necessarily the value of the program when you weigh in all the factors.

What is your time worth?
The program which requires many hours to achieve the simplest results is an expense of your valuable time.

What does the training give you as an end product?
A program which limits the end result by giving you a dog who can only do commands in a specific setting is incomplete.

How hard is it to follow through with what you have learned?
Training that requires you to do a lot fussing to keep the dogs attention when in distraction has no immediate value for you. In distraction is when the training should be the easiest for you to follow through with.


It is important for you to realize when you set out to find a suitable training program, that you are not buying commands. Sit only as good as the end result. Sitting in your kitchen is not the same as sitting in the Vets office or at a family picnic or for safety. Anyone can teach a dog to sit rather quickly, but, getting your dog to sit at a distance with distraction as a life saver is not the same command. Yet the greatest value for you and your dog is being able sit when it matters the most for safety.

You are really buying the trainers skill, years of experience with varied dog personalities and temperament handling , teaching abilities, follow up, proving exposure and full spectrum of a well behaved and social acceptable dog. Basically, you are buying the services of someone who is capable of teaching you as well as you dog and creating effective results in a timely manner.
What is a timely manner? Within 12 weeks your dogs should: have manners, problems solved, be able to walk on leash around high distractions (dogs running and playing) sit and down (next to and at a distance on command from play), come off leash with high distraction and from large active group play, go to place (and stay there).

Whatever your goal, it is important for you to be sure that the results exceed your expectations!

Training cannot take place in a bubble. Our dogs live in alternating environments.
In the house, behaviors can take on one form, while outside on the street learning must address real life concerns and foundation.
Most any dog can be taught in isolated circumstance to follow commands easily. Those same commands will become non functional when the dog is faced with the distractions of real life.

So if you are looking for training based on cost of programs, evaluate what the real cost may be for your time, end result, functional use and finally the safety of your dog.