Walk the dog

It's official. Researchers at The University of Missouri have confirmed what many have instinctively known for years. Walking your dog (or dogs) has more health benefits than walking with other people.

Learn how to teach your dog the benefit of loose leash walking or reliable off leash walking, put on your comfy shoes, dress for the weather, and get out there and walk.

In time for the holidays

Just in time for the holidays -- the perfect pet for you or your loved one. Different colors and breeds, already crate trained -- handy for when you want to toss them aside when the festivities get started. And no worries. These furry pets only sleep and stay quiet, NO MATTER WHAT is going on.

These perfect pups don't require healthy food, potty breaks, any structure, guidance. Hey, take 'em out in the world or don't, socialization smocialization! All they do is sleep!

Say farewell to drool, accidents, gnawed shoes, muddy pawprints, strained shoulder and walks in cruddy weather. What are you waiting for, get your perfect pet for the holidays!


Okay, if you're feeling a little more ambitious, and you might be reading this because you're interested in training and want to try your hand at it but still don't like the drool or accidents or gnawed shoes, maybe an animatronic dinosaur is more your speed.




But if you REALLY want to get a real live wriggling pup for the holidays, think long and hard about whether or not you have the time and energy during the shorter and colder days of the year that will be necessary to raise your pup right. Because with the real one, to put it mildly, there are gonna be some dirty pawprints.

At least consider a Voucher or Coupon for a real pup or dog in the future -- when you're ready to take a real live creature on and shape him or her into your dream dog.

On a mission - one client's psychosis

This morning a client has put into words what I imagine some of my clients think as they adjust to a sometimes significant change in their relating with their dogs. Based on a new and better understanding of identifying and then achieving their goals, people are empowered to become benevolent leaders. Watching clients take on and work through their issues and achieving success in a reality based universe is uber cool to me.

The dog in this story is Winnie, a stray who arrived into the life of Jim and Susie during a wicked bad thunderstorm in August of this year. Winnie's peeps run a business with employees working on their first floor the second and third floor of their house is their residence.

Winnie is very sweet but very aloof and cunning and in many ways, shut down, possibly from trauma during her time on the lam.

Here's the report from the Files of Susie: (the words in red are evidence of her psychosis!)

I have been reading, reading, reading. And some training. When I have food treats and the clicker, Winnie does very well with the touch and sit. I have also noticed that she’s going to other rooms to “shut down” less frequently. Another bully stick gone. She likes her beds.

This morning’s dilemma….. Winnie doesn’t want to get out of bed which is typical. I’ve already been up, and went for my 3 mile walk outside. Jim’s been up, showered and gone down to the office. At 6:45 am, I’m back from my walk and need to get the house ready for work and employees. I call up to Winnie on the 3rd floor, she doesn’t come. Rachel would tell me I should have clicker and treat in hand ready to reward good behavior.

I go upstairs to retrieve her, and she gives me her belly (which I rub because she is so damn cute, bad Susie!). Rachel agrees bad Susie. I just rewarded bad behavior in that she got a belly rub for not coming. I nudge her to get out of bed and she follows me with joy in her step.

We go on our walk. Euroleash on my waist connected to her gentle leader easy walk harness. Out the driveway, she stops to smell the skunks living under the front porch. Rachel tells me I could have used the eh-eh which I always forget about, and that I could/should have clicker and treat ready to re-direct and reward good behavior. Ok, I wait, thinking I can’t pull her, and then I get a little irritated when she tries to push her head under the porch so I pull a little (bad Susie!) and she follows me. Rachel tells me to use the eh-eh and that I gave her the privilege of sniffing the skunks and Winnie took that privilege. With a clicker and treat ready, I could have had some tricks up my sleeve to re-direct bad behavior. We go down the driveway, turn right, and Winnie stops on the tree lawn. Kind of freezes, standing position, doesn’t want to go further. I scan for distractions…there are none that I can tell. I wait patiently until no tension on leash. We continue to the next tree lawn, she pees, and then stops/freezes again. I decide to wait patiently again until no tension. It’s a stand-off. Minutes pass, I turn my side….I turn my back….I yawn….I bend at the knees to get to her level….I put my two hands on the ground….lots of calming signals. It’s cold out, I need to get inside to shower, my patience is wearing out. I pick her up, walk a couple tree lawns with her on my side, put her down, thinking I can “re-set” her agenda. I try to start walking, same thing. Again, minutes pass as I try the calming signals again. It doesn’t work. I turn to go home and Winnie leads happily and turns into our driveway.
I’m bothered for two reasons:
1. She didn’t get any exercise
2. She didn’t poop (which she normally does on the morning walk). She’s tethered in our office now, content to sleep away in her bed.
Lot’s to work on, I know. Rachel tells me to head out on my next walk with clicker and treat ready.

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Cesar Millan strikes the Sunday NY Times again

First it was the business section. Now my hallowed Sunday New York Times has gone and sullied the front page of the STYLES section with more of that press that Mr. Milan, he of the Dog Whisperer fame, seems to garner -- this time crediting him with Child Whispering!

To his credit Mr. Milan never does not formally or publicly opine about teaching child rearing -- focusing on his dog training methods of discipline and his trinity of Exercise, Discipline and Affection equals happiness and the gist of the Business Section article a few weeks ago -- keeps him plenty busy.

But he does admit that as a native of Mexico he adheres to a more traditional, hierarchical child-rearing philosophy. He's quoted in the NY Times as saying, "for thousands of years, the elder has always been the pack leader, it's never the child. In America, kids have too many options when they only need one: 'Just do it because.'"

I wholeheartedly agree that there are many parallels to parenting children and dogs but there are also differences -- on so many levels -- starting with a more contemporary awareness of human development than just adhering to thousands of years of the traditional Mexican child rearing approach -- and a more scientifically proven awareness of dog development. This is where to begin to parse out that both young, tween and teenage dogs and people really don't want to be pushed on the neck, sshhhttted at or grounded without electronic privileges.

Children and pups do crave benevolent leadership in their caretakers -- and clear clues on what to do and how to earn rewards. And when it can be learned and applied that either or both journeys can be a sparkly one.

I navigate between the flotsam and jetsam of 3 active daughters, 3 dogs and 3 cats. Every day I get to fulfill my bliss helping others learn how to navigate their own course in pet training. There is a chaotic but lilting harmony enhanced by the need to frequently wrangle dust bunnies that illustrates just how satisfying my own journey has been and continues to be. And while I could sure use some better discipline about getting more exercise, here at Camp A Better Pet we all get and give lots of affection.

Holistic Options • Bach Flower Essences

Benevolent Leaders employ multiple tactics in their campaigns to win converts. Benevolence begins with awareness. You can't be proactive in approach to things if you're not aware that they're there!

Holistic orientation is an important component in the human • dog relationship -- whatever the function of the dog. It is your role as the human who has brought the dog into your life [and presumably into your home].

Often I am asked about various modalities so I thought since I hadn't done so before, I'd write them here. I'll be covering a wide array but today I'll start with homeopathy and flower essences, specifically Bach Flower Essences.

Essentially if there is a conflict in a relationship, whether between a person and a pet or a parent and a child or a boss and an employee or a customer and a cashier or...you get the idea, conflict suggests imbalance. Imbalance affects your mood and affected moods can effect behavior and certain behaviors dogs do annoy us.

If our being annoyed causes more imbalance because of the stress the dog feels from being a source of disappointment, and dealing with your reactivity, the benefit of a remedy is to balance so stress is reduced and improved relations occur.

This is not like taking an aspirin to eliminate a headache but more like learning how to balance on a a see saw or balance board.Ask yourself what behavior your dog is projecting -- overly confident, very shy, territorial, fearful, possessive, restless, etc., -- and review the recommended essence and the goal for what your pet will tip over towards.

It's important to become more observant about the behaviors your trying to address so you can be more aware of even minute measures of change and to be flexible and patient in your approach. Don't define them as human emotions, just observe actual behaviors -- outward or inward ones.

I can tell you I use rescue remedy myself which is a combination of several essences you can read about on various sites including the ones included previously and here.

If you're anticipating stress (i.e., HOLIDAYS!!!!), Rescue Remedy will help you cope! And deliver a more patient you who can practice The Six Pillars of Dog Training Wisdom and become ever more so the Benevolent Leader.

More holistic thoughts coming soon.

Fall in Love All Over Again

Stunning fall weather of late must be the reward for us Clevelanders -- between the Cleveland Browns' depressing record coupled with fuzzy memories of a rather cool and vaguely dissatisfying summer, we are getting our just desserts. Before the inevitable wind blows all the color enriched flora into a decomposing swirl, baring the trees in preparation for, gasp, winter, I'm carving out time with the dogs enjoying crunch crunch walks. The panoply of colors sent my mind into a fantasy mindset the result of which is:

Savor the season

Warmer more typical Indian Summer sunshine during what appears to be peak week for the fall foliage of NE Ohio was welcomed today. It reminded me of the need to get out from under deadlines and dust bunnies and To Do Lists and take time to savor the season.

When you have a dog who is reliable off a leash, watching your dog(s) run amok among the crunching leaves, dance in the shadows and grin with canine delight is a visual reminder of how simple joy -- so easily lost in the adult world of looming bills, time lines and responsibilities -- can soothe the soul.

Take breaks, enjoy the season, and keep practicing basic cues -- touch (come), sit, down, stay, go -- and off leash wood walks (or beach or grassy knolls) can fix a lot of your boo boos too!