Woof & Chat

Training Facility hurdles

2011-03-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Things have been crazy busy. The shelters is crazy..classes are doing well....and then there is the training center. Things have finally emerged from lawyer-land and the application has been submitted to the towns zoning board. Today I called the surrounding neighbors to ease their minds and answer questions and got really good feedback. So far, the only caveat is that the barn is 35 feet from the property line and according to the rules, it needs to be 50. So a variance is a possibility, but we wont know until the town meeting which wont be until the end of April. I posted a few pics and wish I had taken more on my last trip out. Its simply the most beautiful piece of property and if it works out...it will be a dream come true. We have so many plans including an agility ring that overlooks the river (how great would it be to run agility, take your dog for a dip in the river and then walk the 11acres of open field?), and small barn to house a small herd of dog broke sheep.

Housewives of Mid Coast Maine?

2011-03-14T16:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Brees and I joined our good friend Amy & Andy for our herding lesson. The winter lessons meet in a barn of a working farm in beautiful Searsport right on the coast. The woman who owns the farm popped in to watch the lessons just in time for Brees's second pass which consisted of his ADD moment and 'crazy eye' stare. At this time I asked him to 'down', which he didn't. So I tried to step on the line to get him into the down, and was fumbling as Brees was able to pull the the line through the treads of my new Bog boots. This prompted my instructor to yell out 'next time wear real farm boots and leave those high fashion boots at home!'
What?? Herding then went on the back burner as we had a 'Housewives' moment with a boot debate (Muck vs. Bog vs LaCrosse). I learned that my Bogs, by far, are NOT what the mid coast farmers are wearing this mud season. The conversation then went to how a salve made for horses can help with liver spots. Really? I had no idea when I went to my herding lesson that I would leave with beauty and fashion tips! I do think that Bravo should consider the Mid coast of Maine for the next 'Housewives' show. That would be entertainment!

First Hurdle

2011-03-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

Found out today that the barn (training facility) doesn't meet the '50 ft from the property line' requirement. Its my task to call the surrounding neighbors to let them know of the plans before they get the letter from the zoning board (Who are incorrectly calling us a 'kennel'...yikes!) and ease their minds. Sheesh...I feel like its over before we even began! I have faith that there will be a 'work around'(using the words of a lawyer friend!)

Great Opportunity

2011-03-08T14:19:00.000-08:00

I wantto share about the opportunity that came up for my little dog training business. A good friend of mine and I are looking to share a 1400 sq training space! The best part is that its on 11 acres of beautiful field which abuts a river. I have been given the title of 'project manager' and am able to remodel the space as needed and pick out the flooring of my choice! The truth is that this business plan has been in process since last fall, the contract on the property has finally been signed and we are filling out our applications for zoning. It all seems so grown up and strange! I am overwhelmed after all these months of negotiations at how much work that needs to be done! But if all goes well, I will finally have the 'home' my little business has been looking for! Stay tuned for adventures in zoning meetings, contractors and other 'new business' woes!

Following my own advice

2011-02-23T05:32:00.000-08:00

Not sure what happened to the shy puppy that I had to sweet talk to get him to walk (on leash) around my neighborhood. He now struts with all the bravado and swagger I expect from a 16 year old human boy. Ten feet tall and bullet proof. The past few weeks he has decided how much fun it is to lunge and scream at the end of his leash whenever he sees another dog.

When Liam was his age he went through the same thing, although his response to other dogs was a lot more serious. Liam came to me when he was 6 months old, and I used a gentle leader and worked on focus games and classical conditioning to desensitize him to other dogs on leash. Gimli was a 'city puppy' who by default, learned to deal with traffic, people, bikes, skateboards and other dogs.I think poor Brees is suffering from 'suburban dog syndrome' who unfortunately, has minimal positive exposure to other dogs in my neighborhood. With a combination of poor weather and a gap in training, I realized that I just need to commit to getting him comfortable with dogs around him in all situations.

So I fit him with a gentle leader, which he accepted right away (good sign), and we started working super early in the morning. I take him out on a solo walk with a handful of mackerel treats and we work on 'silly walks', turn-aways, and lots of verbal praise mixed with treats. The worse thing about working a full time 'real' job is that I don't have the time I need to work him they way I want to. But I have to follow my own advice and look for small success's and not get discouraged.

Officially on sheep!

2011-02-08T03:57:00.000-08:00

Brees and I made the 2.5 hour trip up to Searsport Maine on Sunday for a herding lesson with Suzanne along with my friend Amy and her GSD, Andy. We had a storm Saturday night and I was on the fence about making the long trip up in potential bad weather. However the weather quickly cleared and I am so glad we didn't cancel!
I think Brees is going through his second 'fear stage' as he was fearful of things that he has been exposed to. So we went slow introducing him to flappy tarps on the fences and noisy gates. We started on ducks, and Suzanne had me start working him on 'get around', and ' stop' to teach him not to rush into the flock once he moved him to the corner. He did well, and I am getting better at manipulating the rake and line and watching the ducks and my dog at the same time. My timing is still slow, but as Suzanne says, it takes a dog/handler team average of 3 years to work like a well oiled machine and even then the factors of livestock and environment are always changing. That made me feel better!
We put him away for about an hour while Andy & Amy worked sheep and they were fantastic!! Suzanne decided that the sheep were low key enough for Brees. So, I got the 'thighs of steel' workout walking backwards in the dirt barn while Brees joyfully chased, barked and worked his livestock. Like his introducton ducks, Suzanne wanted him to work on instinct. I moved the sheep from one side of the arena to the other, and Brees was able to hold them in the corner without rushing them. He did split the herd a few times and chased the singleton to get him back with the group, which was fun to watch!
I have to say I love herding! I love the smell of the farm, the dirt on my boots, and watching a dog work and working my own. Its so much harder than it looks and is one of the most rewarding sports I have ever done. Suzanne is a fantastic teacher who knows exactly what each student and dog needs and pushes her students to be better. She ends each lesson with a hug and encouraging words. We will make another trip up to Seasport next month and then back to the farm in April.

Winter Beach Walk

2011-02-05T14:36:00.000-08:00

Rear end awareness

2011-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:00

If you aren't the agility/trainer type, the title isn't what you think! Now that Brees is just about 6 months old, its time for him to know that he has two rear legs waaay back there. Yesterday I received my 'training ladder' from Affordable Agility, and I picked up a few PVC poles to make cavalettis. I figure there is no way to cure the winter blahs than continue on with agility training. So we got out the clicker and started working slowly with the ladder. The first few passes he fumbled, stumbled and tripped his way through. But we continued slowly and after a few more passes he started to make progress. Tomorrow I am heading over to my friends place who has a huge cleared out basement and will be bringing the wobble board, ladder, tunnel & cavellettis and we are going to have a little training party with Brees, Gimli and a 5 month old golden pup named Elliott.

Winter Blues

2011-01-26T15:26:00.000-08:00

I hate this time of year..specifically the end of January to mid February when it feels like winter will go on forever. Between the unbarable cold tempertures, no sidewalks, salt on the streets and 5 foot drifts, walking the dogs in my suburban neighborbood has been a big drag. I feel lucky that I can get the dogs to the beach once a week to give them proper exersise, but that doesnt help with the other 6 days. My husband and I decided to join our local gym to counter the winter carbo-load diet of pancakes and pasta. I know this funk will pass...I just count the days when spring arrives.

Back to raw

2011-01-20T03:05:00.000-08:00

I used to be an avid raw food feeder. Not just a feeder..I was obsessed with it. I owned a freezer, meat grinder & cleaver. A Saturday afternoon consisted of wheeling my cleaver into 15 lbs of beef heart or grinding whole rabbits. I would even come home on my lunch hour to split up a case of turkey necks. My husband was afraid of looking in our bathtub as he was uncertain of what kind of frozen animal part would be thawing.
Both Liam and Gimli were raised on raw diet, and they never looked better. This past weekend, my mother showed me a picture of the boys when I was raw feeding and wow..they really did look fantastic. Gimli had the build of mini bull-dog.. great muscle tone and a small waist. Liam looked like an athlete and both had shiny eyes and beautiful coats.I had to stop feeding raw a few years ago due to the increase of fuel costs and a shift in jobs.
But it was seeing that picture that has prompted me to revisit raw. Gimli has turned into a chunk, even though I only feed him 1/2 cup of kibble a day and Liam is sore and his coat is dull. I have him on Dasaquien (joint supplement), but it isn't the miracle I was hoping for. I purchased dehydrated raw to dress up their kibble, but still...it isnt cutting it.
So I did a little research and found a Omas co-op just minutes from my house, and the next order is scheduled for March. Plenty of time to prepare my husband that he will see those recognizable chubs in our freezer.

The Last Goodbye

2011-01-16T04:24:00.000-08:00

My 86 year old grandmother passed away last Thursday, so the entire family is descending on Burlington NJ for the funeral. I used to be terrified of death. But as I age, its not so much the idea of dying, but how death is perceived in our culture that concerns me. My father, being the open minded philosophical man he is, encouraged me to think very independently about heaven, religion and 'where we go' after death. So at the tender age of 7, I turned my pet cemetery into a archaeological 'dig', so I could examine the physical evidence of death.

Working at the shelter, the hardest part of the job is making the difficult decision of euthanasia. Its spiritually and emotionally draining to make these decisions, and I don't take them lightly. When I took the job, I knew that euthanasia was part of the job. We don't euthanize often, but in a open access shelter, its a reality. I made the decision that each dog that had to die was going to have as much dignity and respect that we could provide. They were going to have a wonderful meal of fast food and were going to be held with kindness, and hear loving words as they left this world and went onto the the next. That is a promise to the dogs that the staff has embraced. I have been present for every euthanasia except for 1 since November, and as hard as they are to do, its the kindess release we can give.

I think my grandmother had a full life and I think her release was a kind one surrounded by people who loved her. I hope there really is a 'rainbow bridge' and, if given the choice, I hope to end up there surrounded in death by the same lovely creatures I chose to spend my time with in life.

Rake Training

2011-01-09T14:21:00.000-08:00

Today I cut out of work early which meant there was enough daylight to work with Brees and the rake. In herding, a small thin rake is used as a 'crook'. Because the tynes are made of plastic, its a harmless 'bonker' in case a dog gets a little to heavy on the sheep and is also used to train the dog to slow down, stop and 'get around' Herding is about toning down the prey drive to get the dog to think, the reward being that the dog can chase livestock. But a dog has to be trained and in the burbs its hard to keep livestock hanging around, so creativity is needed. To try to simulate 'ducks' I had my husband walk Gimli and Liam about 1/2 block ahead of us. With Brees on a 4 ft lead in my left hand, and the rake tucked under my right arm we started toward them. As my instructor suggested, I swung rake like a pendulum in front of us. As predicted, Brees lurched forward, but backed off quickly as the rake blocked his path. When he looked up at me, I smiled and rewarded him with a treat. I kept this routine for about a block, then started to add 'stops' and plunked the rake in front of him (tynes always away from the face) as my husband would continue to walk ahead. We then added an occasional down. Always rewarding for walking calmly next to me, and occasionally walking in a tight circle with a treat at my side. I worked both sides of my body, but I am better with him on my left side than right. So we have more work to do, especially on 'get around' where the rake is used to start turning the dog in the opposite direction and to keep distance from the handler. Its a weird motion and takes practice ( I am trying to practice with out the dog to get the muscle memory) By the end of our walk, I only needed to flash the rake slightly at my side for Brees to slow down. Our next lesson is in February and It will be interesting to see if he generalized the work we will do in the neighborhood to the barn.

Show N Go

2011-01-08T15:43:00.000-08:00

Today the entire family (husband included) went to an obedience Show N Go...our first one. I decided to hand the handling of Gimli over to Jill, and wow! He did great with her! His head was high, tail wagging the entire time and he was just so dang attentive! I loved watching him...his feet moved so fast and with pure joy! So, I think I have my obedience handler.
Jill and I have decided that competitive obedience is like math where agility is like recess. Jill, being a former school teacher, is all about structure and following the outlined rules. Where I like having the ability to have a plan A or Plan B...or maybe plan C if A&B aren't going to work. So, I am hoping to work with her golden Tally in agility and she will help with Gimli in obedience...perfect!
I did one run with Liam and will start him in classes next week. We did OK..as always, I forget how to walk normal in the obedience ring. Total handler errors. Brees had fun going through the agility tunnel that was set up, and got a lot of socializing. Fun day had by all!

Baby Brees Update

2011-01-06T03:35:00.000-08:00

Brees is growing and growing...big head, thinnish-gangly body and total tween! 3-4 nights a week I pull out the tunnel, wobble board and the mini 'table' (a plastic bin with a piece of yoga mat on top) and we play. With each piece of 'equipment' he gets more and more excited. He LOVES the wobble board, we have been playing on it since I brought him home and he tries to jump on it before I even get it all the way on the floor. Run...Bang!...surf...TREAT! I have also been working on his release..he stands on the edge of the wobble, and waits until I say 'OK' then he runs off to get the treat that I tossed or the toy to play a game of tug.
With our mini 'table' I get him jazzed with holding his collar and 'Reaaaady...steaaaady...GO table!' and he runs across the room and hops up...treat..treat....treat! We have also been working on stay on the table with the countdown (5 and 4 and 3....blah..blah..)
I picked up a small orange cone at Lowes last week and have been working on go outs a little...but not much. I keep the training short...no more than 3-4 reps on each thing and ALWAYS end before he wants to. We have our favorite training tug toys, a riot stick and a woolly toy that I use to start and end all training. After each session I bring the other dogs in and work on group sits, downs, stays.
I finally found a small rake yesterday (the nice sales clerk at my local hardware store let me scrounge around in the basement where they store them for the winter). He is great on leash when I am working with him alone, but when he is with the other dogs on leash he is a lunatic. So my husband will help me by using the other dogs as a distraction (ducks) while I use the rake and work on 'walk ups' and 'stops'
He has another herding lesson next month AND I received good news this week that my most favorite agility instructor, Cindy Ratner, will be offering day classes at a facility only minutes from my house this winter. Wa-Hoo! I think I am an official soccer dog-mom!

Best Coat Evah

2011-01-04T17:27:00.000-08:00

I had been searching for a new coat and at my last herding lesson, I envied my instructors durable and practical Carhartt . I found one and think its the best coat I have ever purchased. Its incredibly warm and I love the deep pockets (plenty deep for poop bags, treats and keys), as well as two inside pockets with Velcro seal. The zipper is wicked heavy-duty, unlike the wimpy zipper of my Lands End coat from last winter. My co worker called me a hick when she saw it in the office. I dont care....I love farmwear!

Reflecting on 2010

2011-01-03T03:36:00.000-08:00

It seems as though every couple of years, I have a' transition' year. Sometimes transitions are a span of years, like when I went back to college in my early 30's. I hate that I am old enough to think that a transition takes years.. on the other hand, I wouldn't 'turn back the clock' for a million dollars.

In 2010 I quit my comfy and soul-less corporate job and jumped into dog training full time. I became 'legit' by incorporating, acquiring a logo, accounting software and a laptop. Being a business owner has always been a dream of mine, but the down side of being a 'one woman show' is that I got lonely. I missed the opportunity of bouncing ideas off others. I love being busy...all the time. And with the poor economy, jumping into dog training wasn't probably the smartest move, but its one I don't regret.

At first,I tried working with a brand new training center but I soon realized that when working with other trainers, chemistry is everything! So I branched out on my own and picked up a part time job at the local animal shelter, not knowing that a part time administrative job would soon be a full time kennel management job. After months of teaching in different locations, I found a fun and supportive training center to work in, where trainers are like minded and laid back!

On the dog front, Liam had a small sarcoma removed early this year and we celebrated his continued health by playing agility all summer. At 9 years sold, I am grateful that my big guy still has the ability to play our much loved game. Brees came into our life this fall, and he was the missing piece we have been waiting for. We are having blast with him!

I feel like I am were I want to be...working with shelter dogs, teaching and training. For 2011 I hope for more of the same. I don't make resolutions as I don't keep them. I just hope I never have to go back to a gray cube and a headset.

Snowy Walk

2011-01-01T01:15:00.000-08:00

Liam waiting for his Golden friends to arrive

Deep snow play is hard work for short dogs!

Brees - so grown up!

Not wanting to leave the park

Pictures by Jill Simmons

Michael Vick...MVP?

2010-12-28T16:49:00.000-08:00

Like many other Mainers, I had the day off from work yesterday due to the huge blizzard that blew in. So, Like many, I stayed in my P.J.'s and on my laptop. Somehow I navigated to the NFL website. I have always liked football, and although I don't consider myself a huge fan, I was curious at how the team stats looked. It was there that I read about how Michael Vick and Tom Brady were both up for the MVP player of the year.

I had to re read the article..Mike Vick? The dog fighter? The guy who was in jail? MVP?

So...here is a quick recap of how this twisted story of Mike and his BadNewZ Kennels came to be and you decide.

In April of 2007 the ACO in VA seized 66 dog (53 pit bulls) from Mick Vicks Bad Newz kennels. In July of that year a warrant was served and investigators found evidence (in animal remains) of a dogfighting ring. Vick and others were charged with running the ring for 6 years, Vick was arrested and plead not guilty.In December of 2007 Vick paid almost 1 million dollars in restitution and was sentenced to 23 months in federal prison, and banned from ever owning an animal. 49 of the 53 pit bulls spent over 200 days as evidence before they were finally signed over to various rescue groups and re homed.

So here we are...almost 4 years later (he fought dogs longer than not fighting dogs), and has not only reported that he 'wants another dog because he genuinely cares for animals' but is also up for MVP status. Really? Do people change that quick? I doubt it. It wouldn't surprise me if he moved from dog fighting to cock fighting. He has a job (a job that pays him very well), and that is pretty much all he deserves.

Happy Holidays...(jerk!)

2010-12-26T16:18:00.000-08:00

sounds harsh..I know. This shout out goes to the schmuck who picked up his dog at the shelter today. His 12 year old lab who wandered out of his yard after he forgot to close the gate. Luckily, she was picked up on Christmas morning by the police and brought to the shelter. I saw her upon her arrival. Wonderful old dame.. I scanned her for a chip..nothing. Looked for a name tag...nada. Looked in the lost reports..zippo. So I gave her a nice big meal, snuggles, a brief walk and a snack before leaving for the night. This morning, I did the same. She was sweet and so appreciative.
Then Schmuck-o comes to claim her. At first he seemed nice, until I told him I needed $47 for the town impound fee and boarding..... $47. You would have thought I said $470! I then needed him to fill out a 10 day temporary license. ...oh the drama! Cranky-pants couldn't be bothered and slammed the pen down. I kept a smile...'kill em with kindness' I told myself The meaner he got..the nicer I became. I retrieved the old girl and walked her out to the lobby, on a leash, and handed her over.
With a grunt, he dramatically unclipped the leash, and snapped at her to 'come here' and walked her out the door. 'Have a happy New Year'..I called out as he left. I watch him climb into his brand new Pssat and zip away. I am still shaking my head in disbelief. Dogs I get..people? A mystery.

Leash work 101

2010-12-21T12:47:00.000-08:00

Somehow...what seems like overnight...Brees has become a rascal. What happened to my agreeable, sweet puppy? Who is this cocky corgi living in my house? Something happened to Brees when we had our last herding lesson. OK...I am sure it was happening BEFORE the lesson, but now his brattiness shines on me like a Kenny Rogers Roasters sign. No escaping it!

I have always done the NILFF stuff...but now we are on overdrive. I am asking for downs for everything. Want to eat?...Lie down. What to tug?...Lie down. Want to go out?...Lie down. He is still giving me the heavy sighs (the dog version of an eye roll), but he IS lying down quicker!

Today we worked on his leash manners. No more jumping on and play-biting Gimli or his leash during our twice a day walks. We went to our favorite park, and a normal walk that would take us 40 minutes took about an hour and a half. Liam and Gimli strolled off leash enjoying the smells of the trail, while Mr. Brees and I did 'crazy person' walking, circles, backing up and of course....downs! I brought some mid value treats, a smile and my 'puppy' voice to keep him engaged and the mood fun.

I am glad we have entered this new place in our relationship as I feel I can now ask more from him and am not worried about 'crushing' his young spirit. He is definitely no wall flower! This also puts me right into the place where most people enter a family dog class, so its a good reminder of what its like to raise a teen age dog. Ruff love baby...learn it, live it and love it!!

Its a new day...

2010-12-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

...thats what I said to Suzanne after our herding lesson today. Brees's puppy card has officially expired. Drive is not a problem, but I have a lot to work on before our next lesson! I will be making a trip to the farm store to pick up a small rake. Our homework includes line work, walk ups, stop, down and 'get outs'!

Ring Nerves

2010-12-16T18:20:00.000-08:00

Tonight Gim and I had competitive obedience class. We took classes years ago and were well on our way to getting into the ring before our instructor moved away. I never found another instructor who I liked working with so we stopped. More like we stalled. I continued to work, but on the same novice stuff for years, not really knowing how to progress.

I recently found a terrific teacher and we jumped back into classes in October. I love the classes and the material. Its fun, positive and the instructor has us work on different things each week. However, I am not 'feeling the love' for the sport.

So last night I had my friend Jill handle Gim and he just blossomed! So I am considering letting her handle him in the competition ring. I have faith in my dog that he can do it, but I don't have faith in myself that I wont screw him up. I get too fidgety and nervous.

We are having a show and go next month and Jill is going to take him on to see how he works with her. I hope to capture it all on tape!

The 9 dog walk

2010-12-08T13:34:00.000-08:00

9 dogs doesnt really seem like that many when they are all getting along! Had a great morning walk with humans Rebeccah and Jill along with dogs, Shilo, Kessie, Acre, Copley, Finn, Taley, Liam Gimli and Brees

16 weeks already?

2010-12-01T03:38:00.000-08:00

I cant believe that Brees will be 16 weeks tomorrow!We have had him for 6 1/2 weeks already? Really? I counted twice on my calender... It seems like it was yesterday we were watching him and his littermates on puppy cam at the dinner table.

Bill and I have found Brees to be the easiest puppy in memory. This past spring we fostered 3 -6 week old littermates who came to the shelter too young and very ill. One of the pups didn't make it, but the other 2 flourished. We split the 2 boys up at 8 weeks and We kept 'Owen' until he was 12 weeks. Owen was a good test puppy for our patience. He was a wild child, who lived on a tether or in a crate& his bite inhibition training was on-going. My dogs tired of Owen and I think they were happy to see him go.

Brees has been nothing but a dream. He is a 'go with the flow' guy who accepted his x-pen, crate and routine from day 1. We started baby 'training' on day 2 and he has been an eager student since. He is a great traveler, playmate and companion. I cant thank Holly and Leonard with Visions Cardigans enough for the wonderful puppy they provided.

Tomorrow we are celebrating his 'birthday' by attending a photo-shoot for the upcoming Fetch-Dog catalog. Depending on how it goes, he may have a part time career as a catalog model! Stay tuned!

Another great day of herding

2010-11-22T02:52:00.000-08:00

Puppy Class~ day I

2010-11-16T03:39:00.000-08:00

Last night Brees and I attended our first puppy class. It has been a long time since I have been a student of a 'family dog' style class and I have to say, its nice to be on the other side for a change. My instructor, who is also my friend, is a person I really admire. The class had 2 goldens, a lab, yorkie, JRT and PWD and all are freak'n adorable!

Brees has a very busy week...besides his Monday class, he is attending Gimlis Thursday comp ob class with me to watch crate-side. I want to get him used to watching me work the other dogs while staying settled. Then back to herding ducks on Saturday!

I also found out that the Fetch-Dog catalog company wants Liam to attend a photo shoot in December and is a candidate for their next catalog. I am pretty excited for my old guy! Even if he doesn't make the cut, the shoot will be fun, and a good experience for the both of us.

Dangerous Daycares

2010-11-09T03:41:00.000-08:00

I decided to write about daycares after I heard of a local daycare, who also does boarding, is scheduled to have over 100 dogs in its facility for the holidays. It made me cringe. As a former manager of a daycare, I know that 35 dogs in a facility is a lot. A group of 15 dogs in a playgroup is a lot. However if a facility is run correctly, daycare is the perfect place for a young exhuberant dog to get its needed exercise.
The problem with most daycares is that they open with the best intentions, but usually take in more dogs then what is safe, don't create playgroups based on play style, age and size, don't educate their staff on canine behavior and don't give the dogs enough breaks through out the day.
Daycares should ALWAYS do a temperament test on every dog who is considered. A test is only as good as the person who is giving it, so ask questions of the experience of the person (s) giving the test. Daycare should be a place where your dog is safe. Look for a daycare that has a ratio of 1 human attendant per every 6 dogs . Playgroups should never exceed more than12 dogs and should be based on age, size and play-style.
Dogs shouldn't be allowed to play for more than 45 minutes without a break. Breaks should be given in a quiet room preferably with crates.

In a well run daycare, the playroom would be lined with crates where dogs can get mini 'time outs' during play bouts. These time outs are great at keeping the arousal levels low and minimize dogs getting over tired and cranky.
Obedience training should not be ignored. Pulling on leash and door darting are common problems with a lot of dogs that attend a poorly run daycare. The staff should be in partnership with you to help curb these behaviors.

If you or someone you know is considering taking your dog to a dog daycare, here are some things to think about

Visit the daycare without your dog during their 'pick up' time. Is the lobby chaotic? Are the attendants bringing the dogs to their owners in a calm controlled manner?
Does the building have a odor? What is their disease management? What vaccines to they require?
What is their protocol if a dog comes down with kennel cough or tests positive for giardia (an internal parasite)
Does each dog go through a temperament test? What does the test involved and do you get to watch
Are there breeds they don't allow?
How many employees do they have and what is their training? Do they know first aide?
How many attendants manage a playgroup ?
What is their employee turnover rate? (an ill run daycare will have a high rate of turnover)
What is the protocol if a dog gets bit? Is the biting dog excused from daycare? (may seem like a strange question, but I know a lot of dogs who have a bite history who have been allowed to stay in daycare)
Have they ever excused a dog and what were the circumstances?
Is there a vet clinic close by?
Do they allow toys? Snacks? why or why not?

This is just a short list. I suggest anyone considering a facility that they visit a few times and interview them prior to bringing their dog and ask for at least 5 references. If you are able to do so, watch the dogs playing. Are the attendants paying attention to the dogs or are they texting or talking on their cell phones?

Dog fights certainly do happen in daycare, and its a risk that a dog owner should know before they take their dog. However, a well run daycare will have policies and procedures in place to minimize this from happening.

One last note. I believe that if one chooses to bring their dog to a facility they should only attend once, maybe twice, a week. Although a dog may come home tired, daycare is not a substitute for training and can minimize the human relationship. If your dog has separation anxiety, then daycare can help in between training, but is not a substitute FOR training. Daycare should never be a 'lifestyle' for any dog. PS...100 dogs is too friggin many!! There is NO WAY this many dogs can taken care of properly in a daycare setting! ok..rant off...

Keeping my Joy

2010-11-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

It was a very exhausting week at the shelter. Too many dogs, and more than that... too many aggressive dogs. We had an incident were a sweet beagle snuck out of his kennel during water bowl fills, and tangled with a dog aggressive dog going for a walk with a seasoned volunteer. It wasn't a fight more than it was a 'grab and shake' of the beagle. The sweet guy never had a chance against the catahoula mix. I used all my 'dog separating' skills, to get the hound to drop the beagle with no success. Luckily, the walker and I stayed calm and finally after what seemed like hours, the dog let go and I rushed the beagle to the office. He had 1 puncture and road rash, but no broken bones. We gave him antibiotics and pain meds. He saw the vet the next day, and was fine & back to his happy beagley self.
The adrenaline rush was extreme and I left work exhausted. It was the second time in a week I faced a line of snarling canine teeth. The first was a JRT who decided my upper legs were fun to hang off. Thank god for jeans...I only escaped with bruising, where my co worker in scrubs suffered a worse bite on her calf. Neither of these dogs are currently on the adoption floor.
My only salvation was my herding fun day with Brees. I made a promise to myself that I would only take the kennel manager position as long as I remember the joy of my own dogs. Compassion fatigue is a huge problem among shelter/rescue work, and I refuse to be consumed by the tragedies of the job. Its not all bad, but it is all exhausting. Its dirty, loud, physical and emotional.
Wednesday I spent the day in company of a peaceful sheep farm with my funny little puppy and a good friend. It gave me a glimpse in what I hope I will have someday.

Rest is not an option

2010-10-29T03:23:00.000-07:00

This month has been nuts...Not only has Brees entered my life, I changed positions at the shelter from volunteer coordinator to kennel manager...except that they haven't replaced anyone to fill the VC position, so I am doing both until they do. I am working to become SAFER certified (the ASPCA's canine temperament test), started teaching 2 new classes, taking Gimli through competitive obedience class and am working with a new therapy dog team. Brees is great and rolls with my schedule like a dream. We have a training session every morning and evening and I am able to come home at lunch (the shelter is only 1.5 miles away from my house) every day to let the dogs out for a good romp.
Next week Brees and I are going up to Appleton ME to see Suzanne White, the herding instructor, and a flock of ducks (pictures to come!)
The following week he starts puppy kindergarten with my good friend/trainer Liz Langham ( I believe that even trainers should take their puppy's through a puppy class!). Once my classes end in December, I plan on taking a 6 week break from teaching. For now, as long as there is coffee flowing, I am good!

Beach Day

2010-10-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

Fall is the best time in Maine. Once the tourists leave the beaches open back up to dogs and the locals come out of the wood work to walk together. Many long term human friendships have been formed just by strolling the many dog friendly beaches. My favorite is Ferry beach in Scarborough. Its not a big beach but its the best beach at low tide and somewhat of a local secret. It makes me feel very lucky to live in such a beautiful place. This morning I met my friend Jill and her 3 Golden's Tally, Finn & Copley at 7am to watch the sunrise and let our dogs romp. Jill and I actually met at Ferry beach a few years ago where she fell in love with Gimli and took pictures of him. We have been friends ever since. This morning was a special one as it was Brees's first visit to the beach. He had a great time meeting new people and dogs. He came home one very tired and happy puppy!

New Normal

2010-10-21T02:40:00.000-07:00

Its been almost a week since Brees came home, and I couldn't imagine like with out him! He is everything I wanted in a puppy and more. Teaching puppy classes and looking after foster pups has nothing on this! He is a fun puppy to be with..smart, attentive, playful and easy going.

I know..I know..it could change. I know that this is the honeymoon period. I know this and still look at him with complete perfection.

I have been keeping this week a quiet one. No big adventures other than neighborhood walks. I wanted him to get settled and get the routine established. This weekend we will hit the beach or the fields..depends on the tides.

The only sucky thing is that my camera has disappeared. I haven't seen it in over 2 weeks and it totally bums me out. So I am left to my cell phone for now. I am hoping that my friend (and professional photographer) Jill will come out with me out this weekend and get some shots.

Brees is settling in

2010-10-18T05:39:00.000-07:00

After what seemed like the longest drive ever, we made it home on Saturday at about 6pm. Gimli and Liam spent the night with Jill and the Golden's giving Brees some time to settle into his new digs. The long day didn't slow down his need to play! He was a little fussy in his crate, but over all, he had a restful sleep. The big dogs came home Sunday, and although I wish they were a little more excited about his presence, they didn't hate him either. He is learning proper dog manners and respect. He was 'yelled' at when he bit Liams tail. He reacted with a big yelp and recovered quickly. He now knows not to bite the big dogs tail! Gimli has been softer and they have rubbed faces and lay together. I don't think it will be long before they start doing the corgi 'layering' during nap time.

This morning Brees went on his first walk with his brothers. He did well, and was understandably worried with going far from home. But chasing the big dogs was worth the worry. We have worked on the name game (he responds beautifully! Thanks Holly!), recalls, leash work and play, play play!

Today he will spend some time at home alone (well...not completely alone), as I venture off to Target to pick up a better baby gate (not sure why I wasted the money on the cheap one..takes me forever to snap it on the door frame, and it keeps falling) a few more puppy supplies and batteries for my camera.

So far, he has been a very easy puppy. I know I have already cursed myself by saying that out loud.

Day Dreaming about a farm

2010-10-11T05:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to the state fair. The only reason I like to go is to see the farm animals...pigs, chickens, cows...I love them all. I always envied the 4-H kids who get to hang around the barns in lounge chairs with their carhartt work pants & boots earning ribbons chatting with the other 4-hers. Growing up in suburban Colorado Springs, my dad had the same dream of owning a working ranch. We moved to Colorado from NY when I was 7 years old in part because my dad had a love affair with the west. He wrote stories, poems about the west and spent his spare time dreaming about his cattle farm , which he was going to name the K-bar-T ranch.

My dad passed the dreamers torch to me and although I don't ever think I want a 'working' farm, I do think a small 'gentleman's' farm with chickens, ducks, turkeys a few sheep and maybe a pig would be nice.

Love Connection

2010-10-05T04:33:00.000-07:00

After a long drive to Averill Park, NY on Sunday, I finally met the newest love of my life. We chose the name Brees (currently known as Thomas) after the New Orleans Saints quarter back. We aren't football fanatics, but we are in love with the city of N.O. and were visiting when they won the Superbowl. We watched how that victory lifted an entire city, and Drew Brees became an instant hero who is not only an athlete, but has a deep compassion, dedication and loyalty to the people of New Orleans. I imagine that just like 'Brady' is a popular name in New England, many newborn boys in Louisiana will carry the name Brees.

It was great to meet Holly, Leonard and of course the rest of the Visions pack. Holly was wonderful at helping me choose my little pup, and I left feeling confident that the right one will be coming home.

Yesterday I received my latest Dogwise delivery of The Focused Puppy by Deb Jones and Judy Keller and the Crate Games DVD by Susan Garrett. So my day was spent on the couch in my PJ's catching up on my reading, which is a perfect way to spend a Monday.

Roadtrip!

2010-10-03T03:46:00.000-07:00

Today my friend Amy and I will take a 4 1/2 hour trip to NY to meet the Visions puppies. Oh boy...I am dying for a dose of puppy breath! I feel like I have been waiting for 'puppy-time' for forever! Its funny how my once 'why don't you have any human children' relatives are now' send me pictures of the puppy!' I still have a few (primarily my in-laws) who tag me as the weird dog-lady , but most are supportive and have embraced our alternative family. As I look at my living room and the dogs rest in their respective spots, I wonder how they are going to feel about their new pack member. I think Liam will love and nurture any puppy who crosses our door. I worry that Gimli will feel a little put off once he realizes the puppy will be a resident. But he loves meeting and playing with other corgis, so perhaps I underestimate him. In any case, we are as excited as any new parent could be, and count down the days before the little kiddo comes home.

Venting

2010-09-29T02:32:00.000-07:00

OK...I just have to vent. Last night I taught a puppy class at a local pet supply store. During the class a familiar face rounded the corner with her 2 pit bulls. It was a face I knew from various dog events. A pet person with ZERO dog handling skills. My stomach sank as she waved hi and was peeking at the class in session. First, I must say I am not breed bias...I have many friends with pit bulls and see some great pits come through the shelter. I am also not naive to the power of these dogs and personally know that this woman's dogs have been aggressive in many situations and that she lives in denial that she has potentially dangerous dogs.

I continued to teach and she continued to shop. There was no drama and I sighed with relief. The class ended, I passed out homework and went to help a student pick out a harness for her poodle.

Then I heard what made me cringe. A set of deep growls and yelling. Shit. I ran across the huge store to the counter and by the time I got there it was over.

One of my students (with a wonderful aussie puppy) was paying for her treats, when Dummy's boyfriend brought one of the pit bulls up to the puppy where it tried to pin the puppy up against the counter snarling then Dummy herself DROPPED the leash of the second pit and it ran up to puppy to get into the mix while my student used her leg to block both dogs from her pup yelling for them to get their dogs. Dummy just STOOD there and didn't even try to recover her dog....aarrgghh! The staff where all circling and the situation was quickly diffused and the Dummy couple left.

The aussie puppy was fine ( luckily, he lives with terriers and can blow stuff off easily). Its people like this who give bully breeds a bad name. Whats scary is that she is clueless (or maybe just doesn't care) at her lack of dog skills. Its only a matter of time before her dogs do serious damage.

Shelter Dog Enrichment

2010-09-25T06:03:00.000-07:00

I have been somewhat obsessed about 'enrichment' since I first heard about it years ago when Zoos where feeding bears in cardboard boxes and giving monkeys hammocks and toys.Thank god the days of barren cages are long gone! This past spring Bill and I visited the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and were so happy to see that every animal had some form of enrichment in their enclosures. Our favorite was an orangutan who was playing with a big blanket and several boxes. We could have watched him forever.

At the shelter, once the dogs are walked, fed and the cleaning is done, the staff works on enrichment. This is a dream come true for me! This week I did noseworks with a happy-go- lucky pit mix who decided that destroying the cardboard box was too much fun. I also made various Kong's and placed food in empty cereal boxes using all kinds of ingredients.

Now I have been introduced to you tube videos of what other shelters are doing for enrichment and I am hooked! Here is the latest video, and one of the volunteers is picking up the supplies so we can add this extra fun for the dogs.

Interesting week at the shelter

2010-09-11T03:37:00.000-07:00

This week has been INSANE! Besides my volunteer coordinator duties at the shelter, I am now part of the kennel staff 2 days a week. Working in the kennels is by far, a more natural environment for me that the volunteer office. I would much rather enter my zen state of mind cleaning 28 kennels than answer the normal 50+ e-mails I get everyday. I was also able to wear my vet tech hat which I haven't done in a LONG time, treating the sick dogs in the isolation ward. I even received kudos by the well seasoned kennel staff for befriending (and medcating) an Akita that no one else wanted to work with. Enrichment is extremely important in keeping a shelter dog busy and sane, so I made enrichment toys for the dogs using empty cereal boxes, peanut butter and dog cookies. It was great to see the dogs enjoying their 'toys'.

I also had 4 classes to teach this week, prepare for a dog walking class and a new volunteer orientation at the shelter AND I have 2 new classes starting tomorrow.

I was hoping to take time in Sept to trial with Liam and that plan went right out the window. The new plan is to work as much as possible in Sept and some time off in October for puppy. Gimli and I are starting our Comp Ob classes next month, so we will see where that takes me :) .

With this new change in schedule, I am going to have to cut back on my teaching gigs to possible 2 locations instead of 4 just so that I can have some face time with the hubby! I am happy to be busy, but when it rains it pours!!

Enough is enough...

2010-09-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

I blogged last month that we should stop whining about the heat...ok...UNCLE! Mother Nature, you win....please stop this. When schools close in Maine because of the heat...you know its friggin hot. Maine has NEVER closed schools due to heat. Its September 2nd and it feels like the surface of the sun outside and the air is like a hot, wet, wool blanket. The weather guys says it will be cooler after the hurricane passes. I am crossing my fingers that he is right as I am now a big whiny-baby. waaahhh!

2010-08-29T13:29:00.000-07:00

Found this mini equipment at yard sale this weekend. Couldnt help myself!

Eye Opening Agility Class

2010-08-19T10:51:00.001-07:00

Since coming back into agility this spring, I have worked hard to update my handling methods. It seems as though the days of the 'airplane' front crosses are gone and are replaced with a better turning cue using the opposite hand of where the dog is located.

My previous turning cues were ' jump in front of the dog and toss'...but I can see by watching other handlers that the opposite hand turning cue make so much more sense and just look better. I also have what my agility instructor calls 'verbal diarrhea'. I talk too much on the course. Especially when I think its a particularly difficult course for me to handle, and I am not confident. I start running my mouth with lots of 'Here' Go' ' Jump'..blah..blah...blah...

Today, Cindy challenged us to run a course using no arms and no verbal cues except, 'gooood dog','tunnel' (since the tunnels were tucked under the A frame and dog walk), and 'weave'. Did I mention that we couldn't use our arms? 'No Ninja Chops' she said to me...yikes! I walked the course with storm clouds overhead. 'No way will he respond' I thought I wasn't the only one..the whole class was doubtful that their dog could run the course with only forward movement and shoulder pulls.

Well...I kept my arms to myself, and my mouth shut. And guess what? Liam did great! In fact, it was our best run this week. I kept moving and the less I said the more I focused on my body and feet, and the more I felt that I was communicating. Liam had his tail wagging and was MOVING!

Something else I found was that not talking to him so much, slowed my head down so that I could enjoy working with him instead of nagging. Liam is big, smart and obviously knows the sport. It makes me gleeful to work in such a close partnership with him and I love that he is so forgiving on the agility course!

Blue Monday

2010-08-16T14:13:00.000-07:00

I just cant see to get out of my own way today. The weather has been rainy, gray and stuffy. We have been so spoiled with sunshine that this one gray day has put me into a funk. And I don't think I am the only one.
I had 2 therapy dog visits scheduled today. One at Florence house (which is part of the homeless shelter designated for women only) and the hospital. I arrived to Florence house expecting the usual warm welcome. My dogs LOVE going there! It was complete opposite of what I expected...the woman were grumpy and completely uninterested in the dogs, so we left after 5 minutes. The dogs seemed a little confused about why their usual friends not were wanting to pat and coo over them. So I took them to one of our favorite fields for a romp. Which wasn't really a romp, just a soggy walk. I forgot my rain jacket (I wasn't planning for a hike), so I came home wet.
I cancelled our second therapy appointment as I just didn't have it in me to be social. We are going to agility class tonight and I am hoping that running a course will make me snap out of this!

Big week

2010-08-13T13:28:00.000-07:00

This has been such an a crazy week.

First, my dad took a terrible spill and broke his hip. Once his hip was repaired then they found that he had fluid on the brain, so back to surgery he went. Currently he is stable and and speaking a little. He still confused and will be in the hospital for few more weeks before he is moved to a nursing facility. It sucks that he is 3000 miles away living in Seattle WA. My older sister is making the trip out to take care of him.

Then I received my first speeding ticket EVER! All this time I thought my beige mini van was similar to Wonder Woman's invisible plane.... but thanks to officer Wendy...my dream of never being noticed by cops has been shattered.

The only saving grace this week was that Lacey the cardigan had her puppies...5 total. 3 boys & 2 girls ( sadly, one boy the went to the rainbow bridge). I have been plastered to puppy cam so much that dishes are piling & dust bunnies are blowing. I peeled myself away long enough to go to work today (I was able to sneak a peek on my lunch hour ). But here I am..back on the computer and the cam just a keystroke away. Watching newborn puppies is like meditating. Their little bodies randomly pulse in a dream state or watching them pull themselves around with their rubbery legs seeking out the heat of mum. I am trying to study the patterns of black and white flashes so I can see them as individuals. Its like nerdy science and heart melting cuteness all at the same time.

Escape from the cube village

2010-08-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

Today I made a visit to my former employer, dropping off something for a friend who still works there. For a year and a half, between dog training gigs, I worked a corporate job. I had my own cube, phone, extension and name plate. Steady hours, insurance and paid vacations. I left back in January to jump into the world of non-profit work, dog training and (sometimes) eating ramin for dinner. I wouldn't go back for anything. Although I had a lot of corporate perks, there were more negatives than positives. Like the wacky schedule that didn't allow for me to attend agility classes and forget trialing. I couldn't do therapy dog visits, and the only time I saw any of my dog friends was when they posted their brags on facebook. I spent idle time in my cube writing 'corporate haiku's' and always felt out of place.

Here is a couple of my haiku's..anyone who works in the cube village may understand these cries for help!

ALONE IN MY CUBE
UNINSPIRED, UNIMPRESSED
M&M'S FILL VOID

CUSTOMER SERVICE HAIKU:
CHATTER IN MY EAR
SURROUNDED BY SHADES OF GRAY
LACKING EMPATHY

CUSP OF THE WEEKEND
MOCKED BY BILL GATES COLD TIME PIECE
THWARTING MY ESCAPE

Seeing a few of my old co workers reminded me that I made the right choice by leaving. I make it a rule to never say never...but I hope the universe continues to be kind so I can do what I love.

Hoping Molly gets a home

2010-08-09T08:42:00.000-07:00

I brought Molly back to the shelter today hoping she will get adopted as Mondays are really busy. The 4 of us headed out early for a long walk and a visit to the dog park for good off leash romp. I tried to film her running on my cell phone..but I couldnt get my act together. She is just so fast!
I gave her a bath and blow dry and then took her back to her kennel. It just about broke my heart. She has a A LOT of fans in the shelter staff and if she doesnt get adopted today, I will bring her home tonight. I wonder if this back and forth thing to the shelter is doing more harm than good. Its been proven that people dont want to' make an appointment' to see a foster dog, but want to meet the dog when they walk in. Cant say as I blame them. I will keep my fingers crossed that today will be her day.

Molly the possible foster

2010-08-08T03:12:00.000-07:00

I met this fantastic little border collie mix at work. She has been a the shelter for a couple of weeks, and I just fell for her. She is small, about 25 lbs, smart and the type of dog who would break down quickly in the loud chaotic shelter environment. So with my husbands blessing, she came home for the weekend, and may stay with us until she gets her forever home. She is all about comfort, and likes to lay on the couch and snuggle. She loves tug and frisbees. She is fine with other dogs, but is somewhat of a social nerd. She can get a little resource guardy with the dogs regarding people. I am chalking it up to her lack of confidence, and we are working on it. But other than that, she would make someone a fantastic pet/agility/disk dog. At only about a year old, this dog has a lot of potential!

The great crate debate

2010-08-03T02:56:00.000-07:00

My newest obsession is crates...more specifically traveling crates. With a new puppy pending, I feel I need to come up with a better traveling system. The one thing I hate about my van (Honda Odyssey) is that the only the front windows roll down. So if I leave a dog in the car (like at agility class), the only way they get good air low is if I open all the doors. The problem is that my big dog Liam is 42 inches long and 27 inches at the withers. So a crate that fits him doesn't leave a lot of room for 2 small corgi size crates. I decided to try a giant Veri Kennel and crate Liam and Gimli together which leaves room for a medium crate for puppy. If the giant kennel works, then I may invest in a XL wire crate which gives good air flow, but isn't great for safety. Or maybe keep the Veri Kennel and invest in crate fans. Aahhgghh...the things that keep me up at night!

Train your kids

2010-07-30T04:29:00.001-07:00

I have been having an interesting Facebook conversation with several other 'dog people' in regards to kids and dog bites. More specifically, how kids who hang, hug, drape and flop over dogs and the parents who allow it. I recently had a family who came to puppy class with their 8 week old golden puppy. Mom, dad and 2 kids (a 7 year old girl and a 5 year old boy) arrived to class with the puppy they just picked up from the breeder. During my lecture piece of the class, the little boy kept popping out of his chair and hugging the puppy. I repeatedly asked the boy to not hug, while mom and dad kept nagging him to stay in his seat. I spoke in detail to the family about dog safety and to not allow the boy to hug the puppy. The response I received was 'he is just really excited' (ugh...)

After the class ended the family decided to have me do in home lessons instead. So fast forward a few weeks the puppy is now about 10 weeks old. The boy is still obsessively hugging. But now the puppy is starting to snap at his face. The parent ask me to 'parent' him on not hugging the dog...what?? 10 years ago I would have shook my head and walked away. But after having numerous nieces and nephews drift into my dog life, I am more comfortable talking to young kids about dog safety. However, I always had parents who were there to back up my words. These parents were clueless. Typical overworked people who needed a Golden Retriever to complete the idyllic picture-esque life in their upper class zip code, with no idea that Golden's are dogs and have the ability to bite just like any other dog. The puppy will never be allowed in any other room than the kitchen, and will be ignored in its beautifully manicured yard surrounded by an invisible fence. They cancelled the second visit as they were going out of town for 4 weeks and will contact me once they return. I cringe the day I get that call, but as numb as these people are, they are the ones who need the most help.

According to the CDC the rate of dog bite–related injuries is highest for children ages 5 to 9 years, and children are more likely than adults to receive medical attention for dog bites. So Parents... please train your kids to respect dogs and to be dog savvy! I don't want to see this (or any) dog come to the shelter for biting when it was the people who set the dog up to fail from the get-go.

Doggie visitor

2010-07-20T02:52:00.000-07:00

For the next 2 weeks we are watching my friends dog Copley, an 8 moth old show golden. I feel honored that I was asked to watch such a fine pup. Jill almost sent him to show dog camp, but chose Camp Robinson instead! Besides his show career, she also plans to work him in rally & obedience so she asked me to work on recalls fronts, finishes and focus.

Jill started out as my student in a CGC class with her golden Tally 3 years ago and never before entered the obedience ring. She has surpassed me as Tally has earned is Rally Excellent, CDX and is working on utility.

We quickly became friends and she has become my inspiration. She encouraged me to work on Gimlis RN (we need 1 more leg) and we just found a fantastic trainer to help us with our CD. Prior to Jill, anything AKC gave me anxiety. Not sure why, maybe it was the high test agility personalities I trained with. Or maybe its the reputation that AKC has as being stuffy and old school. I would compete in agility in any venue except AKC. I guess I am mellowing out in my old age! And Jill makes it fun! She always trains and competes with a smile, and is always a cheering section for our friends. I am lucky to have such a supportive friend who pushes me out of my comfort zone.

Oh....My Aching Back!

2010-07-15T13:07:00.000-07:00

This morning I took the dogs to this fantastic trail in North Yarmouth. It was hot...really hot, and the 3 of us needed a cool down. My good friend Jill showed me this trail a few weeks ago and as it goes, I did a lot of gabbing and not a lot of paying attention of where we were going. She led me to this off shoot trail into the woods that led to this beautiful pool of river water and waterfall. It looked like something out of a Tolkien book... simply breathtaking. I didn't find that trail...I took a different trail but it led to a similar looking spot on the river. I stripped my feet of sneakers and socks and dipped my feet into the water. The boys were tooling around in the cool water, and we were enjoying the quiet of nature. Then I had a brilliant idea of walking down the river on the rocks. Mossy covered rocks. I felt like a kid taking going on a rogue adventure (I did have my cellphone...just in case). As I was jocking from one rock to another it happened. In slow motion...my wet bare foot hit a slippery mossy rock. I flew up, and hit hard. I laid there for a minute staring at the trees above. I thought I broke my glasses. They were OK..just a little more crooked now than before. Everything else was fine too. I got up, shook off, and thought 'Wow.....I am doing alright. I hit the ground pretty hard but here I am ready to continue my hike. ' Fast forward 4 hours...I am in pain. Everything hurts and it SUCKS.

2010-07-11T13:24:00.000-07:00

If I wasn't a dog trainer, I would be a chef. I love everything about cooking. Visiting farmers markets, food specialty stores, fancy cookware, high end appliances, cookbooks, being in the kitchen, chopping, stirring...all of it. Cooking is a form of meditation...baking is even worse (which is why I only bake in the winter). Time falls away when I am engrossed in a recipe.

My kitchen is far from fancy and I don't have anything high end. But I do have a love for cookbooks. I read cookbooks like some people study for exams. Completely focused and I tune everything out.

Today was a great day of food. Bill and I went to the Greek Festival in Saco and snacked on gyros and loukoumades, which considering all the food they had, was pretty mild for us. We are trying hard to be frugal these days and festival food can deplete a wallet pretty quickly.

We left the festival and went to one of our favorite places, Borders bookstore and I went to visit my porn section...the cookbooks. I found one that almost had an angelic glow surrounding it. It was called My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh. We visited New Orleans this past spring, and I cant wait to get back. Its food lovers mecca.

I opened the book and landed on a simple recipe for a crawfish boil. Similar to a lobster bake...but the mud bugs, corn, potatoes, garlic, sausage and spices are all boiled together and then dumped on table covered with newspaper where your guests pick out what they want. I went to a shrimp boil once and it was pretty much the same, and pretty fantastic. I took the 5 lb book and sat among other store patrons and found myself making low ...mmmm...ohhhh...ahhh. sounds. At least I didn't drool, that would have been weird.

I left the book at the store (at $45...its a splurge I am not ready for). But came home with some inspiration. I think I am going to make a pot of jambalaya this week.

Cat Counselor? Didnt see that coming

2010-07-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

This time of year is a busy one for local shelters...especially with the over abundance of cats. Last week the shelter adopted out 14 cats while 11 more came in (strays or surrenders). During the adoption frenzy I jumped in to help the cat counseling team match cats with adopters. The next thing I knew, it was decided that I would be trained as a 'cat counselor'. Today was my first day of training, and let me tell you...its not as easy as it sounds.

My trainer Karen is incredibly patient and is just about the nicest person I have ever met. Each prospective adopter fills out a Meet Your Match survey and, depending on their answers, are matched with a cat whose behavior has been tested. The color/description the cat is assigned to (purple, green or orange) depends on the outcome of the behavior test. And thus, a feline-ality is born. But then there are other considerations. Such as the people having kids (and ages), other pets, if they want an indoor or outdoor cat...etc

Since my vet tech days many moons ago I never thought I would ever work with cats so closely. Don't get me wrong, I love cats! I have one. Isaac is 15 and, unfortunately, his kidneys are not well. A sign of old age. But I think I am going to enjoy the kitties as a nice change of pace from the dogs I train and the volunteers I coordinate. There is no 'cat wrangling' here, just matching nice people with nice cats. The picture is of my pal Julie who is too sensitive for the adoption floor and lives in our office. She is looking for a home with no other cats and a person who will forgive her idiosyncrasies and accept her for who she is.

Its so hot....

2010-07-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

...that the new casters are telling 'its so hot' jokes...so I wont try to be clever and out do whats been done (over and over). David Letterman once called Maine 'deep south up north'. That just about sums up how hot it is. But should we really complain? Unless you are laying asphalt for a living or putting shingles on a roof ...I think we should just shut it and enjoy our extremely short summer. Heat and all. Just like in a 3 day 'Nor Easter..this heat should just make everyone slow down a bit. Check on your elderly neighbors, visit a Beals Ice Cream stand watch a movie, read a book and enjoy the fact that you can do it wearing shorts.

Winter will be here soon enough and we will all be complaining about why we live in a place where the thermometer dangles around the freezing mark for 3 months. So instead of bellyaching about the heat, embrace Maines inner 'down south'. Sit on your porch in a big floppy sun hat, eat key lime pie and sip a tall glass of sweet tea.

The Reset Button

2010-06-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

My husband and I just got back from spending 2 glorious days on Damarscottia lake in Newcastle Maine. My good friend let us use her family cottage on 40 acres of woods with a 1 mile driveway and a private cove. At first, I was a little torn about going as this past weekend was 1 of the 2 big dog shows of the year in Maine. However, after watching the dogs swim, romp and enjoy giant raw knuckle bones that I reserve for such an occasion ( at home, Gimli tends to bury bones in the yard and then worries about them for days), I knew we made the right decision. We read... a lot, napped in the sun and picked newly ripened blueberries. At night we lit a small bonfire, watched bats flutter and listened to the haunting sounds of loons. The cottage is somewhat rustic with no electricity or running water,so we grilled every night and ate by candlelight. Here is a picture of me and Finn, one of my dog friends, sitting lakeside.

So Long TV

2010-06-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

I broke up with my TV today. He is still in my living room, but for once he has nothing to say. My house is absolutely quiet. My TV and I go way back. To the days of the Shmoo, Little House on the Prairie and Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom. I was happy then with only 4 channels and and a black and white TV. At our house, Sunday nights were all about Walt Disneys Movie of the Week and The Walton's.
Fast forward 30+ years...my plasma TV filled with over 200 channels, plus 6 different HBO's and a DVR to make sure I didn't miss a second of it. What happened? How did I get to this place of being completely addicted? Is the outside world so unbearable that reality TV has replaced reality of living? How can that be?
So, just as I did when I quit smoking over 10 years ago, I have quit TV. Cold Turkey. OK...so I still have Netflix and Hulu...I dont plan on being a purist. My brain just needs an entertainment detox and admitting that one has a problem is the first step in conquering it.
So I returned my DVR to the cable company, came home and looked at the dark screen staring back at me. Its like the end of the Stephen King movie Christine. Once they kill her, she is no longer a jealous, insane she-devil, but an old crappy car in a junk yard. My TV no longer has any power over me. At least that the mantra I will be telling myself during this self intervention.

Puppies on the brain

2010-06-16T04:40:00.000-07:00

My husband and I have planning on a new family member some time. As I type this our new prospective puppy is (hopefully) just a tiny little fetus not yet detected by ultrasound. However, I already have 2 puppy crates, an x pen and am playing mental tetras when I look at the innards of my van on how to add another dog. I always thought 2 would be enough...but the idea of having a another cardi, and having both my elder boys help me raise her (him?) is just too exciting to not pass up.

Puppy breath, puppy coat, big puppy feet...it all makes me smile! Fingers are crossed that the breeding took and we will have a new baby this fall!

Tough Day...

2010-06-05T14:14:00.000-07:00

Had a bit of a tough afternoon at the shelter today and shed a lot of tears over a sweet dog that had to go the bridge before her time. I felt lucky that I was able to do a little T touch work on her yesterday while she laid in the grass on a warm breezy afternoon. I came in today hoping to see her again, but she was given the gift of freedom from her neglected body. It was a day that I wonder how people can lack the ability to see suffering, and go one step further to abandon the suffering in a garbage infested home for 3 days. Fly high my little peach...you were loved...at least for a day.

The week of dogs

2010-05-23T11:06:00.001-07:00

Wow...it has been one busy dog week! Liam started back into agility after being out for almost a year due to a back injury last summer. At 8 years old he is still healthy, happy and not ready to completely retire from the sport. We both LOVE running outdoors and think its the best way to spend a morning!

On Wed both dogs did there second therapy visit to Logan place, which is part of the Preble St Homeless shelter. Residents of Logan place were, at one time, homeless. We are part of a pilot program to use therapy dogs to try get get the residents more social . Since I am also the volunteer coordinator for the animal shelter, the idea of having people who understand homelessness help animals who are homeless makes complete sense. So the program is to try to give people the confidence to volunteer at the shelter and be more involved in the community. Its a big order, but so far my dogs are making great strides with some of the residents. I am hoping we can make the switch from using my dogs to having shelter dogs make the visit. It would be good for the shelter dogs to get out of there kennels and make these much needed trips.

This week Gimli earned 2 legs of his rally novice title at the Wassamki show in Scarborough (woot!). Since pulling him from agility, we have been a little lost on what to do next, and rally is a nice transition for us to go to the obedience ring. Although our runs weren't pretty...Gim was happy and very proud of himself (me too!). Just look at the pride on his little face! We saw some great friends and wonderful dogs...so much fun. Cant wait for the Cumberland show at the end of June!

My aunt Karen and cousin Matt came for a visit this weekend from NY and enjoyed a long walk in the woods with the boys, Jill and the Golden retriever gang. They also got to observe my puppy class and take part of a AKC CGC test. When people visit, its always a guarantee that they will be involved in my dog-life in some way!

Next week...more agility and rally classes, a therapy visit at the hospital and attending another noseworks seminar on Sunday. ok....maybe we can rest in June :)

DON'T YOU DARE STEAL MY JOY

2010-05-13T04:08:00.000-07:00

Connie Cleveland is a well known Obedience Trainer, but this could apply to other venues beyond Obedience Dog Competitions...in any venue in life...

DON'T YOU DARE STEAL MY JOY
by Connie Cleveland

On the occasion of my tenth anniversary, my husband asked me how I wanted to celebrate. I asked that we take a very dear friend, my adopted grandmother and one of the greatest of all the great southern ladies, out to dinner with us.

At dinner, my husband, Brian, presented me with a diamond ring. It was gorgeous and I was speechless, but even as I thanked him, I worried about the expense and extravagance of such a gift. As if he knew that the next line belonged to my grandmother, my husband excused himself from the table. He was barely out of sight when she reached across the table and grabbed me by the shoulder, "I know what you're thinking, I know you think he couldn't afford it and it's too extravagant. I don't care if he had to put a second mortgage on the house to buy it, don't you steal his joy! It's beautiful. Accept it as the token of his love that it is and say nothing about how he shouldn't have bought it for you." Then she repeated, "Don't you dare steal his joy!"

That was the end of the conversation. She sat back in her seat, smiled at my returning husband, and we had a lovely dinner. I took her advice and put my reservations out of my mind. The ring has never come off my finger, but most importantly, I learned a wonderfully important lesson, never to steal another man's joy.

Are you a joy stealer?

"You know if my dog hadn't gone down on the sit, I would have won the class", said, unfeelingly, to the winner.

"I sure didn't think your dog worked that high a score."

"I can't believe you placed, I thought Jane Oneup and her dog would beat you."

"I thought I had that class won! My dog had a great performance," said to the winner.

"Isn't that judge an idiot? I can't believe the dogs he put up!" said to the winner.

"Boy, aren't you glad Mrs Winallthetime wasn't here today or you might not have won."

"You passed that Master test because the water blind was so easy."

"That was the stupidest set of water marks I've ever seen. No trial should end that easily," said to the winner.

Do you discourage or encourage fellow competitors? Do you tell them their goals are too lofty and their dreams too big? Are you trying to be helpful or trying to keep them from accomplishing something that you never had the ability or perseverance to do yourself? It is equally as harmful to steal joy by destroying the dream.
"No Basset Hounds get UD's," said to the owner of the Bassett in Utility class.

"I've never seen a Rottweiler that could do fronts and finishes", said to the owner of the Rottweiler practicing fronts and finishes.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to get a UD and a Master Hunter? Do you know how few people have ever done it?" said to the first time dog owner setting out to do both.

When FC AFC OTCH Law Abiding Ezra had both his field championships and 65 OTCH points including all the necessary first places, someone had the guts to come up to me, his owner, trainer and handler and say, "No dog will ever be a field champion and an obedience champion." My jaw drops when I think about it. Isn't it unfortunate that I remember this attempt at stealing my joy much more than I remember all the cards and letters and congratulations I received when those last 35 points were earned?

If you are willing to destroy someone's dream, perhaps you don't realize that it is the JOY of pursuing the dream that keeps the dreamer motivated, not just reaching the accomplishment.

My husband and I travel and compete together. I remember an event, early in our relationship when I watched his Doberman fail articles. "Darn it, " I said, as he came out of the ring," she didn't even try to find the right one!" "Oh", he replied, "but, weren't her heeling and signals wonderful?"

Unknowingly, I had almost stolen his joy. He was celebrating the improvement on the exercise that had been giving him trouble, and I was focused on the failure. Since that experience, Brian and I have learned that the best response to a questionable performance, "What did you think?" That way, if the handler is excited about some aspect of the performance, you can share that excitement. If the handler is disappointed in another aspect, you can share the disappointment. You are safely removed from being a joy stealer.

I hope you have a lot of dreams and goals for your dogs in (the coming year). Undoubtedly there will be moments of disappointment as you venture through the landmines of injury, failures and other setbacks. Remember that the joy of the journey is worth the difficulties along the way and don't let anyone steal that joy. Guard it well and at the end of the road you can own it and revel in it with all the other memories of the trip.

*Permisssion to cross post* a great read for all dog competitors.

bite sleeves and horse crops

2010-05-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

The title of this blog is not what you think! My good friend and training colleague, Shannan, asked me (and 12 other good friends) to help her at the ATTS temperament test in Kennebunk yesterday. I said 'sure' because that's what friends do, not really knowing what I was going to be doing.
I received my volunteer schedule and my job was being the 'weird stranger'. 'OK', I thought..'she knows me, I can do weird'.
I arrive at the event, and start the walk through with the head tester, Bill. Once we get to the 'weird stranger' station, I was given my brief instructions and decided that they should call it 'belligerent' stranger, not weird.
So I spent my afternoon, putting on my best acting chops, waving a horse crop, and yelling (I mean yelling) at Rottweiler's, Dobermans, German Shepherds,Pit Bulls, Bull mastiffs, and the highlight... a 150 lb English Mastiff. They were all leashed and in some cases, double leashed with Bill on the end of one of the lines. I wore a bite sleeve on my arm (you know...just in case), but wish I had brought a box of liver treats ( you know...just in case).
But all the dogs were great..I think I scared a few, but not one dog lunged at me. Notta...nill...zipo. We tested about 20 dogs on my shift, and I was surprised how well the dogs did. Besides listening to my rants about 'lost cans' (you had to be there), the dogs heard gunshots, met a friendly and neutral strangers, had to walk on 2 different types of surfaces and be startled by an opening umbrella. I wish I could have given cookies to all the dogs I yelled at yesterday, but test rules said I couldn't.
I found this test to be most interesting to watch, and wish I could have chatted 'behavior' with Bill, Shannan and Danielle after every dog tested. Being a behavior & training geek, this was really fascinating stuff. for more information on the ATTS, please visit http://www.atts.org/

2010-05-05T15:38:00.000-07:00

What a great day! Had a visit from a good friend and her 2 dogs. All of us went for a hike at Falmouth Community park where the dogs romped & swam and then rolled in day old cow manure that was spread in the fields.(That was more the dogs highlight of the day then it was ours). We then went to one of my favorite watering holes, The Great Lost Bear, had couple of drinks on the patio and declared it a margarita summer. My only regret was not bringing a camera, so I posted a picture of the gang from a visit at Popham Beach in the fall. As you can see, Liam is an honorary corgi.

So long April...you can go now...

2010-04-28T06:26:00.000-07:00

Is the month over yet??? This has been one of the busiest months on record. Last week was volunteer appreciation week and we celebrated at the shelter by offering goodies everyday. We had build your own ice cream sundae, pizza day, mardi gras day...etc. I also had classes to teach. It appears that spring not only brings out kittens, but its the time when people get puppies too. I am not complaining...I love teaching puppies! and I hope this is the beginning of more good things to come in the dog training world. Sunday I went to MA for the New England Federation of Humane Societies conference and Monday my dog Liam had a largish lump removed from his side. Yesterday I pulled double duty of working at the shelter and teaching at night.

So here I sit...on my day off still in my PJ's and the dogs snoozing on the bed, and my energy level is just depleted. Later on Gimli and I will make a hospital visit, and then maybe grocery shopping? The only thing I have to eat in my fridge is yogurt and soy milk. I am sooo looking forward to May. Liam and I start back in agility classes (yippee!) and Gimli and I are joining our Yankee Cardigan Club friends for a social and yearly meeting at the Vacationland dog show in Scarborough. I am attending another Noseworks workshop and then there is memorial weekend! BBQ's and beach walks! This year the hubby and I are doing a 'staycation' and plan on making the most of what Maine has to offer. I am also looking forward to hitting a few AKC shows with Gimli to work on rally and obedience titles.

So I say...get-a-steppin April...I am anticipating that May is going to be a way cooler month than you.

Really? Seriously?

2010-04-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

There are times in life where we all have those SNL moments. Were you just run into a situation that is just so ridicules and sad that all you can do is laugh. I brought my dogs to one of our favorite beaches for a good ball tossing romp. As we were walking we came across this woman, her young daughter and a senior chocolate lab. The old dog slowly approached us, his tail wagging slowly looking somewhat indifferent. I approached him, and was going to give him a pat when I noticed something tied to his collar.
It took me a few seconds to figure out what it was....I recognized the shinny green anywhere. This strange woman tied a full bag of poop to her dogs collar. It was hanging just below this poor dogs chin swinging side to side. Really?...Seriously? I couldn't believe it! When I asked her about it...she laughed and said the dog had to carry his own poop. Really? Seriously? Is this walk supposed to be a punishment for the dog?
Just as the words of discontent were swimming around in my head, a lab puppy (about 12 weeks old) came running to greet this very wonderful and very patient dog, and saved my hide. The puppy jumped up and snagged the bag with a needle sharp canine tearing the green plastic and partially spilling its contents on the beach.
The woman gasped and ran over to untie the bag somewhat cursing the puppy. I watched as she collected the spilled poo retied the bag and then decided to carry it the rest of her walk down the beach. The old dog found a spring in his step and I am pretty sure he fully enjoyed the rest of his walk. Some days there is justice.

Spring is here! Get out there and enjoy it!

2010-04-16T03:20:00.000-07:00

Almost every day the dogs I visit a favorite walking place. There are several that I rotate through from beaches to woods to open fields all within a 25 minute drive from my house. And still there are many places close to home I have not yet visited!

We are lucky to live in such a great state that not only offers dog friendly cities, but dog friendly parks and beaches. I forget how dog friendly Maine is until I talk to someone from away. My relatives from Long Island NY are always amazed that there are not only dog friendly parks, but that they are off leash.

Its important that us dog loving Mainers remember that we are blessed and to not take advantage of the great spaces that are offered to us. Please remember to carry poop bags (and use them!). Be courteous to others on the trails...remember that not everyone likes dogs(*gasp*), so learn trail etiquette and keep your dog close to when passing non dog people. Teach them to come when called and to greet people (especially children!) politely. Always carry cookies and/or toys with you and reward your dog for appropriate greetings. Don't let your dog harass wildlife. If your dog has a strong prey drive, then keep them on leash while in the woods.

Enjoy the great our great open spaces with your canine friend, but remember that we have to share this world with others!

Phantom Limb

2010-04-03T11:54:00.000-07:00

Its been 2 days since Owen left. And not having him in my house is like a feeling for my phantom limb. I had no idea how much this would affect me until yesterday when I broke down at work and cried for 20 minutes. A rarity for me. I just don't cry at work...I save my tears for my couch in my dimly lit living room and a tub of frosting.
I spoke with my boss at the shelter about it, and apparently crying at the shelter is as normal as punching the time clock. I joked with her that this whole 'fostering thing' was the shelters way of hazing new employees. Which I believe is to be partly true.
But in all honesty, I hope Owen is doing well...I miss his little pain in the ass self.

2010-03-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

I decided today that I am looking forward to Owen going to his new home on Friday. After weeks of housebreaking & puppy proofing I realized that although Owen will always have a place in my heart...he isn't my puppy. I have been in denial of this for some time and at one point, was trying to figure out how we could keep him and started looking at house rentals. What kind of crazy person would completely rearrange their entire life to keep a puppy? OK...my hand goes up too...I have done it on several occasions, and although the outcome is (usually) a great dog...the idea of moving at this time and for this reason just doesn't make sense. I have 2 terrific adult dogs and I really want to hold out for a cardi puppy.

For fun, I took a picture of everything I have pulled out of Owens mouth in the past 2 days (one more reason my patience is thinning). The black blobs are pieces of tar from when the roofers came this fall. A couple of pennies, hair pin and not to mention he chewed one of my favorite leashes in half (I replaced it with a nice light leather leash that now lives in my training bag). Oh, and today I chased him out of the bathroom with the toilet brush hanging out of his mouth. He was so proud and I was utterly grossed out. Yup...Friday cant come soon enough.

Noseworks

2010-03-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

I took Liam to a Noseworks seminar yesterday in Hudson MA. I had a little understanding of what noseworks was going in. But had no idea how cool it was going to be to watch dogs work at something that is so natural and intrinsically motivating that actually keeps them mentally challenged with little expense and training!
Each dog started in the ring with a spot of food hiding in a box. The box was then put among a bunch of other boxes. The idea is that the handler shuts up, and lets the dog work to find the food. Once they find the food the handler rewards like crazy. They increased the difficulty of the 'course' by adding more novel items and removing boxes.
Each time we went in the ring Liam would get more and more excited. Watching him work a course was like watching a fish in water. That long beautiful nose of his finally found its calling! The other nice thing I liked about this sport is that I can easily transfer what I have learned to the shelter as part of the enrichment program.
I am really determined to hit the obedience ring this year with Gimli. We joined our pals in Rally last week and I forgot how much I love the structure of a class. I got some great tips on how to keep him engaged in heeling (our biggest challenge), so we were able to work on our new lessons today in between my puppy and family dog class.
Owen continues to fascinate, humor and sometime frustrate me. Puppies are hoot!

Dangers in Fostering

2010-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Funny thing about having puppies in the house. I guess like having any baby...you sleep less, clean more, and are always watching them. One benefit of living in a small place is that I can watch the little bugger where ever he goes. I get up at 1:30 every morning for a pee run and then again at 5am..then at 7. But it doesn't bother me at all. Just to watch him play and interact with my dogs. Snuggling up to Liam's giant body or laying next to Gimli licking his ear and giving him little love chews.
I started a little 'training' this week. Targeting, baby downs and sits. He is smart and has great focus for a youngster. We also worked on the 'ready-steady-get it' game...it was fun to have a puppy who plays with such gusto, but settles so easily. I would love to see him get a home with someone I know so I can watch him grow up. I am starting to get attached!

What I learned today...By Owen

2010-03-16T14:27:00.000-07:00

1. Cats are prickly and leak air

2. Baby gates and tethers suck and should be outlawed

3. NEVER get between a corgi and food
4. When a big dog offers a tennis ball lesson...PAY ATTENTION!

5. pockets always produce food
6. Don't stand under a big dog peeing unless you want a yellow stain on your head

7. Baths suck
8. Beaches are cool...still undecided about water

9. Strangers = Food. Small squealing strangers = food. I like strangers.
10. If I try really hard I can chew a leash in half in just under 5 minutes.

Fostering...take 2

2010-03-15T16:42:00.000-07:00

Well...Owen has made it back to our home. He has been given a clean bill of health, and the angels who took both the puppies when Flora became ill (who are NOT dog people) decided that 1 puppy would be a lot easier to manage than 2. I fully agree. Having just Owen here has been pretty easy. Now I can roll up my sleeves and really start enjoying him! He is a lot bigger than he was 12 days ago, but his personality hasn't changed much. Happy, confident and a little pushy. I think spending time away from his brother and living with my 2 dogs will help teach him some real life lessons.

Sleep well Owen for tomorrow you meet the world!

Hard Goodbyes

2010-03-09T04:05:00.000-08:00

This week has been one filled sadness and new beginnings.

We lost one of our fosters, Flora, last Wednesday. She declined quickly as she just couldn't fight the illness that ravaged her little body. For her short life, she was loved immensely and will always be remembered.Owen and Duncan are doing well and are living with a different foster family. This was my first foster 'gig' in years and was an emotional trip I was not prepared to take. Its easy to forget when looking at puppies rough housing, chewing on your toes and barking for attention that they are still babies and susceptible to illness.

Another hard blow was a dear friend loosing her heart dog in a freak accident. Another reminder that life is precious. There are no words that can fill the hole in someones heart when they loose a family member.

This week was also the grand opening of Finish Forward Dogs training studio. Although our friend and her dogs presents were missed at the festivities, the purpose of the studio is to help others enhance the relationships with their 'heart' dogs and to help make everyday they spend with their dogs fun, full of laughter and joy. If dogs teach us anything its that life must go on.

So I dedicate this blog to Bounce and Flora...as its dogs like these that keep me and many other trainers, rescuers and dog lovers doing what we do. They will always be remembered and loved.

Tribal Language

2010-02-20T17:52:00.000-08:00

I was confronted this week with an issue I was well aware of in the dog training world, but have never faced personally. Anyone who trains, competes, shows or works in rescue are probably aware of the great division that lies between these tribes, and within those worlds lies more layers of tribes.

Within trainers there are methodologies, philosophies and personalities which can either divide or unite. In the shelter world it can be measured by the time one spends with shelter dogs, not dogs in general, that determines their knowledge base. In the breeding world there are divisions between 'pet people' and 'competitive people' which I think is a little strange because I would like to think that a buyer who is going to compete is also a 'pet person.'

I guess my point is that because these divisions exist, they can sometimes get in the way of accomplishing something bigger than ego or territory. Perhaps an awareness of these divisions can make us, in the dog world, be able to talk about them and even look beyond them.

I am certainly not perfect. I also look at trainers with a critical eye and pass my judgements (a certain popular TV dog trainer comes to mind). No, I have no plans to hold hands with this "celebrity" and sing 'It's a Small World'... but I am making an effort to see some value in what he tries to communicate on TV. When asked about his training methods, I tell my students that taking dog training advice from a TV dog trainer is like taking child rearing advice from Roseanne Barr. So, thanks to them, ... I get a joke (albeit a bad one) and initiates a conversation without my hackles going up.

I have found that having the opportunity to collaborate with others in the training world has not only opened a lot of doors, it has also given me this fantastic network of friends, colleagues and mentors that I can reach out to.

Back from 'Who Dat' Nation

2010-02-13T17:24:00.001-08:00

My husband and I just spent an awesome couple of days in New Orleans...home of the Saints football team (and, in case you haven't heard, superbowl champs ) and the most colorful characters I have ever encountered. There is just something (the air?) about the south that makes one slow down & enjoy the day. It forces you to laugh easier, smile more & eat slower. I Listened to music, walked through art galleries and ate some of the best dang food ever made. I spoke to people with names like Ms. Cricket, Wally and Midge...and couldn't help but like each one of them (how can you NOT like someone named Ms. Cricket?)

But this being a 'dog blog', I should mention that I did meet some very nice dogs. One in particular was a black lab who hung out in a out door jazz bar on Bourbon St. Among all the craziness going on and the music playing away, this dog never lifted his head off the pavement. Unleashed and cooler than cool.

I took a picture of him, but being a technological nit-wit...I accidentally deleted it...so his image is only in my memory. So, I strongly encourage everyone to take a trip down and stop by Cafe Beignet at Musical Legends Park on Bouron St and listen to the Steamboat Willie Jazz Band, and meet the very cool dog whose' name I didn't get.

Staying Busy

2010-01-29T02:52:00.000-08:00

Its been 1 week since I left Uniblab, and I cant believe how busy I have been! I spent a few days this week helping Shannan paint the new training studio which, by the way...I am terrible at. I think I got more paint on my clothes and on the floor than I did on the wall. Thanks Shannan for being so patient with my lack of skills!

I started my new job at the at the shelter and I am so excited to be a part of such a great organization! I have a lot of work to do and cant wait to jump in this weekend and get started.

My good friend Jill recruited me to take her friends golden puppy, Rumford, through a breed handling class. Since I know squat about the confirmation ring, I am excited to learn everything I can. Jill gave me numerous books on confirmation showing and handling from her extensive library, which I have been slowly pouring through. Its somewhat overwhelming and although I have no visions of my future in the show ring, I am quickly learning that running around the ring properly is a lot harder than it looks. And I draw the line at putting dog bait in my mouth to get the dog to look at me...thats just gross.

Toss in a spending my days hanging out with my own dogs and being able to eat dinner with my husband every night, I have to say its been a stellar week!

things...they are a'changin

2010-01-15T16:31:00.000-08:00

Last week I gave my notice at my uniblab corporate job and, as of January 26th, will be employed with the Animal Refuge League of Greater Portland as the volunteer coordinator. If that's not enough, I am also in the process of jumping back into teaching dog classes.

My reasons for leaving Uniblab were pretty simple. I wanted a job that was not only was in a field I could feel good about, but was also conducive to my dog training life. And I think I have found it. My only worry with working at the shelter is that I will end up with 8 cats and 6 dogs so I will need to practice self control. I am sure my husband will help keep me in check :)

My dog training business is called (of course) Canine Kinship and I will be teaching at Finish Forward Dogs in Saco, a brand new facility opening in February. I love new dog training center smell! New floors, and clickers and chairs...oh my! I hope anyone (is there anyone?) who reads my silly little dog blog will check out the websites and maybe even sign up for a class.

So I say 'Au revoir' Uniblab and all its gray cubiness. I trade thee for dog hair, and dog slobber and finding dried bits of cheese in my jean pockets. I happily trade my uniblab ID badge for scrubs, cats climbing on my desk and all the crazy chaos of shelter life.

I think its a pretty darn good trade. Woof!

Levitating Corgi

2010-01-04T13:53:00.000-08:00

I think my dog is related to Criss Angel or maybe Doug Henning. Somehow he can move from room to room in my house without ever making a sound, which is pretty incredible since his feet are the size of small dinner plates and he only stands 10 inches at the withers. If you have never met Gimli, he is a funny little guy. He is small for a cardigan corgi, only about 28 lbs. But an excellent ambassador to his breed. He is friendly, but doesn't over do it....unless you have a treat. Or anything that resembles a treat. Or have your hands in your pocket like you are going to give him a treat.

When he is tired, or pouting (hows that for being anthropomorphic?), he shuffles his front feet and sounds like an old man in slippers. Sometimes we call him grandpa., like in the Waltons...'goodnight Grandpa'..which I think he takes slight offense to.

But somehow, this short dog, with the giant feet is able to move like a butterfly and flutter from place to place without us ever hearing him. Like when I am sitting at my computer in the bedroom with my back toward the door. I glance over my shoulder to confirm there isn't a tail or dog ear lying next to the wheels of my office chair, and I see nothing. I glance back 10-15 seconds later and (insert dramatic music) there is a little red corgi face staring back at me. He is able to this in the kitchen too...one second no corgi...I turn around another second and there he is, lying in the middle of the floor like he has been there for hours. My only explanation for this phenomenon is that corgis can levitate. My theory is that during the evolution of the breed, the need of levitation grew out of the lack of having legs. Its part of the corgi secret weapon package. Cute face, funny body, big eyes, good disposition...oh and levitation.

At least Gimli hasn't gone so far as to use his super secret power for evil. He has yet to counter surf, or open the kitchen cabinets. Lets just hope he doesn't have secret thumbs...or else I am in big trouble!

The new dog books are here...the new dog books are here...!

2009-12-23T06:46:00.000-08:00

Some girls are addicted to handbags...others its shoes. And although I cant tell a Jimmy-Choo from a Manolo-Blahnik I can appreciate a well made hiking boot when I see one.

My addiction is dog books, and the proof lies on my bookshelves, and the boxes of books in my closet & under the bed. I have books on breeds, dog sports,dog history,dog behavior,dog training & the human/dog relationship.And to add to my collection, I just received: TRICK SCHOOL FOR DOGS - FUN GAMES TO CHALLENGE AND BOND by Manuela Zaitz and SERIOUS FUN - PLAY LIKE A DOG by Sue Sternberg.

Trying to teach my 'old' dogs a few new tricks this winter, I dove straight away into Trick School for Dogs. Nothing kills the winter dull-drums better than a bowl of high value treats, a clicker and my dogs who are willing guinea pigs to learn another parlor trick.

Liam is learning how how to cover his face with his paw when I say 'Shame on you'. A pretty easy trick for him given his long legs. I just stick a post it over his left eye and when he tries to wipe it off I 'click' and treat.

Gimli is learning how to do 'dead dog' and lay on his side when given the cue 'dead'. Liam also does this trick, but he lies on his back and curls his paws looking cute. Gimli has taken this trick to the next level. When I say 'dead' He flops on his side with his legs straight out, his body is still and he doesn't blink until I release him. Its disturbingly funny. How cool would it be for both dogs to simultaneously fall over 'dead' when given the cue the next time we make a visit to the vet?

Looking for good doggie book? Check out dogwise

Socializing your winter puppy

2009-12-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Now that the Christmas season is coming to an end and the brutal Maine winter season has begun, it might seem overwhelming to get outside to socialize your new puppy. But it doesn’t have to be. Socializing your puppy doesn’t mean you need to spend long cold agonizing hours in a park! A quick introduction to something new is all that is needed. The most important thing to remember is to keep it positive.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while socializing during the winter months:

Safety First
• Dress your puppy in something warm when going on a field trip. Unless you have a northern breed puppy, it’s a good idea to put a fleece coat or sweater on a puppy when venturing out on a cold day.
• Salt on sidewalks and roads can burn and cause irritation to your puppies feet. Pad protection ointments like ‘Mushers Secret’ can be purchased at most pet stores.
• Make sure your puppy has had her first set of puppy vaccines
• Like all babies, puppies get tired easily. Keep your field trips to no more than an hour long.

Outdoor socializing
• The old port in Portland or downtown Freeport offer many great socializing opportunities. Many stores & banks will allow puppies, just ask before entering
• Make sure you have pocketful of soft treats.
• Start your visit by sitting on a bench near a busy area and observe your puppy. Reward her generously for being calm but curious.
• If your puppy appears fearful then calmly move away from what she is fearful of. Reward and praise generously for small acts of braveness. Laugh and smile at your puppy as she will not be sure how to respond to certain things (like strollers), and by being relaxed yourself, your showing her its ‘ok’, so she will be allowed to relax too.
• If someone wants to pet your puppy ask the person to give her a treat, while they are patting her.
• With each field trip, change your location and choose a different store to visit.
Indoor socializing
• Plan a ‘socializing party’ at home and invite friends of all ages to come over and meet your puppy. Have your friends wear silly hats (like a work-mans hat, party hat, cowboy hat) sunglasses, fake beards etc. Ask your guests to reward for your puppy for calm behavior.
• Walking on a new floor surface can be stressful to many puppies. You can introduce her to a new floor surface by stretching a plastic bag or tarp across the floor and rewarding for any interaction she has with the item. Start by rewarding with a soft treats for just looking or sniffing the new surface. Build up to big rewards when she chooses to walk on the item.
What about other dogs?
Dog parks are NOT good places to socialize a puppy. Many adult dogs do not like puppies, and may go out of their way to bully a youngster. Also, your puppy should not be around ‘unknown’ dogs or dog feces until they are completely up to date on vaccines. However, even if your puppy sees another dog while on a leash and is rewarded for calm behavior they are still being properly socialized.
What about puppy ‘play groups’?
Most puppy classes will allow some ‘play time’ during class. Although its fun to watch puppies play, this is a time for owners to learn how to observe what appropriate play is and isn’t, understanding play styles and when to step in. Finish Forward Dogs offers puppy kindergarten classes which cover not only socializing, but also baby obedience lessons, house manners & body handling. Please visit the website for more information on puppy classes. www.finishforwarddogs.com

Dogs of Christmas Past

2009-12-16T16:09:00.000-08:00

As I sit here with pen in hand, I look around my living room. There is one theme that runs in my house; it’s my love for dogs. But the love for canines didn’t start with me. I come from a long line of dog lovers. I look at the portraits of my past and present family members which hang on my wall and grace my mantle. In almost every one the human is pictured with their dog.

I see the black & white photos of my grandparents and their beloved dogs, Petunia and Coco. My dad pictured as a boy with a collie mix on my great grandfather’s farm in Indiana. My mom, pictured with her Pomeranian mix, Ginger whose death she mourned for months.

These dogs are just as much a part of my family history as my relatives who cradle them. As I look at these pictures, I wonder if I would have become the same person if dogs were never in my life. Dogs teach us so much about the spectrum of humanity; empathy, patience, laughter, and above all unconditional love.

I was 5 years old when I started my love affair with dogs. Tippy was a spaniel mix that my dad dug out of a ‘free to good home’ cardboard box. I don’t remember the housebreaking, and crates were non existent back then. There were no puppy kindergarten classes, or puppy play groups. And, I hate to say it, but Tippy was never neutered. But somehow, in spite of these’ handicaps’, Tippy grew to be tolerant of sharing a rawhide and an occasional piece of kibble with curious child. He patiently let me dress him up in hats and sunglasses and sighed heavily when I would parade him around in front of my friends. He new many complex tricks, although no one ever remembers teaching him any. He never walked well on a leash, and sometimes ran away, only to come home the next morning hungry and tired. My parents jokingly referred to Tippy as my ‘brother’. But he was more than that. As a child, he was my rock during my parents divorce and I cried many teenage tears into his silky black hair. I still get a little weepy when I think about leaving home the summer I turned 18, and I will always remember the moment I said goodbye to him, knowing it would be the last time. He died that fall, and the ripe age 13 years.

Many more dogs graced my adult life. Nushka, my malamute, gave me strength, independence and encouraged my love for the outdoors. Doopie, my fearful rescue husky, taught me that patience was needed to achieve the reward of bringing light into the eyes of a scared dog.

My greatest teachers, healers, motivators & protectors were not human, but canine. Looking at the pictures of dogs whose lives have faded, I am proud to be a part of a human family who so graciously shared their lives with dogs. This holiday season, I will not only enjoy my dogs of Christmas present, but will honor the ones of Christmas past.

Have you played with your dog (or cat or rat) today?

2009-11-17T05:07:00.000-08:00

This past week I was talking to my dad on the phone, a 71 year old widower who lives in Tacoma WA. The conversations generally start off with family chat, then to current events and onto politics. But this time, our weekly talk went into a very different & unexpected direction. My dad explained to me that the only way he can read his morning New York Times, is by placing all of Peaches (his 4 year old cat) toys in a paper bag, roll it up and let her bat the bag around the house until she can free all the toys. Once she has finished this task, she then brings him one of her balls and drops it at his feet, where my dad uses a wooden yard stick to create his own version of a ‘chuck-it,’ to fling the ball across the room. I found it funny Peaches trained him to play a game of fetch, and my dad was proud that he came up with the ‘paper-sack’ game as well as his yard stick ball- flinging invention.

Listening to my dad talk about his daily play session with his feline companion, reminded me how important play is. Play stimulates not just the brain, but also the body. It decreases stress and increases learning. Research (done on rats) has shown that there are cognitive benefits to play. And there are numerous books and websites on the subject of how play can benefit a dog’s behavior. Patricia McConnell’s booklet ‘Play Together, Stay Together’ comes to mind.

I learned about the power of play from my first agility instructor. In her class, teaching a dog to play was just as important as teaching the proper entry of the weave poles or safely navigating an A-Frame. I learned to safely play tug by obtaining & keeping eye contact during the game and by teaching the dog to grab, play and release on command. By becoming your dogs’ playmate, you are also becoming a provider of fun, and increasing your value to the dog. I took these ‘play basics’ into my class-room to show students that they can use more than food to motivate their dogs to learn.

One of my favorite classes to teach is a 4 week recall workshop. It encompasses everything I love about training. Like any ‘obedience’ class I have taught, it’s about decreasing the stress of owners by empowering them that they can train and motivate their dogs and enhance the relationship between dog and handler. I use food, toys, play and movement to keep students and dogs engaged. It’s amazing at what I can get adults to do all in the name obtaining a recall! Each student brings their dogs’ favorite toy (s) and they learn how to initiate and play a controlled game of tug, run, and romp with their dogs. At the end of the hour session students are usually leaving class laughing, tired and out of breath!

I enjoy being my dogs’ playmate, as well as a teacher, provider, companion and benevolent leader. By using play as a reward, we are showing our dogs the ‘lighter’ side of our human nature that is mutually beneficial.

Therapy Dogs

2009-11-01T05:15:00.000-08:00

Last spring my dogs and I became certified therapy dogs through Therapy Dogs Inc. Since then, we have become members of the therapy dog program at Maine Medical Center.

I was so nervous when Liam and I made our first visit. My tester and all around therapy dog guru, Mary, along with her super cool standard poodle Cato quickly put us at ease as we walked through the maze of hallways toward the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital. I had no idea what to expect, or even what to do. What I did know was that my laid back dog had a rock solid temperament and although he is 27 inches at the withers and is a giant by most standards, he is gentle and has a soft and welcoming way about him. People are drawn to him like a magnet, and I knew it was ok if I didn’t know what to do; I would watch my dog and follow his lead. He would guide us into conversation with patients.

And guide us he did. I asked Liam to lie down so that he was less imposing to the kids. And the kids came to him, as they always do, touching his soft ears and long muzzle as he slowly wagged his tail. Some kids hugged him, while others stood in the doorway and just watched.

I stood there, proudly watching my big squishy dog and answering questions. What kind of dog is he?’ ‘How old is he?’ does he know any tricks?’ ‘Does he like to play ball?’

Since then, we have visited almost every area of the hospital. And I have found that the questions are the same regardless of the floor we visit. But I don’t mind. I love seeing the reaction of patients & their visitors as we enter the room. That moment that they forget how strange it is to see a dog in a hospital. I love that my dog can bring some kind of normalcy to a person who is in pain. I love that, because of my dog, I have made a human connection I would have not otherwise made. I love that my dog and dogs in general, have this kind of power over the human heart.

This Thanksgiving, I am grateful for my health and grateful for the dogs in my life. I am grateful that they, for a few moments, can make someone else as happy as much they make me happy.

Calm Waters and Precision Heeling

2009-10-30T05:23:00.000-07:00

This morning I walked on Ferry Beach in Scarborough with my two dogs Liam & Gimli. It was just me, the boys and a flock of gulls enjoying the beautiful, but cold morning at low tide. As we slowly made our way down the beach, the wind at our backs, my little corgi Gimli, trotted at my side in the perfect heel position.

As a dog trainer, I have spent many hours working with my dogs. As demo dogs for every class I have ever taught, my dogs have shown off their PhD levels of obedience tricks, have wow'd audiences and in short…can be very charming.

I love training my dogs. Shaping behaviors with a clicker until a complex new trick emerges. Watching their eyes twinkle as their brains are processing what is being asked and then celebrating victory when the right response is achieved. But as a trainer, I know there is more then just having a clicker, good treats and perfect timing to having a healthy, enjoyable relationship with a dog.

As the progression of a trainer’s career goes, there is pressure to put titles on our dogs. To some, titles are like the platinum American express card of dog training. The clout that one is ‘worthy’ to teach dog classes for a living. I see validity in titles...but I also believe there are other forms of currency. I am impressed when a handler and dog are disciplined enough to obtain precision heeling, straight sits, and the perfect front and finish. I am even more impressed, and envious, when I see a handler and dog equally enjoying their time in ring, working together as a team and walking in balance. As a former agility buff (until a non agility injury permanently removed my dog from the game), my best runs were not the ones where I achieved a qualifying round…or even a ribbon. They are the ones where my dog and I shared an invisible tether of pure blissful energy. Where 1 minute of speed was slowed down and we moved in perfect harmony.

I tried to achieve that same connection in the obedience ring with my corgi. But he had other thoughts. Not the serious competitor as Liam, he is more of a class clown, where tom foolery is the name of the game. In class, he found the only good thing about heeling in a predetermined area, like an obedience ring, were the remnants of treat smells from the team prior to us. Needless to say…I worked A LOT in class to get him to not sniff the 6 inches below him but instead look the 5ft above. Not easy for a dog who is 10 inches off the ground. After weeks of classes and drills we both became bored. Then in class he started to ‘check out’, and it was obvious to me that this was no longer fun for him or for me. I took the high road and made the decision that the obedience title meant more to me than it did to him, and we gracefully bowed out.

Maybe someday I will get a pure bred dog that loves the obedience ring as much as my mixed breed loved the agility ring. But until then... I will fast forward to this mornings walk. Unleashed on a huge stretch of deserted beach, Gimli chose to give me that perfect heel. I smiled down at my funny little dog who smiled up at me, and we enjoyed our invisible tether of pure blissful energy that no ribbon or title could ever replace.