I was watching the new reality show Americas Greatest Dog staring "celebrity dog trainer" Victoria Stilwell as a "judge". I heard some of the worst dog training advice ever to leave a professional trainers mouth! Her exact words were "It is better that your dog not do a command than be forced to do it". This is insane advice on so many levels.
First, lets consider what this teaches the dog...if my owner gives a command I only have to do it if I want to. This goes against everything dog training is about. What the majority of today's trainers do not realize is that there are two parts to training. 1) The learning phase - this portion of training allows the dog to learn new concepts. This portion of training should be positive and fun at all times. 2) The proofing phase - During this phase of training we add distractions to the environment and begin to gently correct the dog when he has done something wrong. This is the only way to develop a dog that is reliable in all situations. This is how we teach a dog to make the right decision when a command is given. Allowing a dog to disobey a command is the same as teaching the dog that it is ok not to listen.
It disappoints me to see "celebrity" trainers giving such nonsensical advice. Novice dog owners tune into these shows hoping to learn something about dogs and how to develop the relationship they have with their own dog.
Come on CBS. Find some qualified trainers with real world experience. Writing a book is one thing, actually training a dog is a whole other!
Mic Foster
www.greatdogtrainer.com
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Friday, July 18, 2008
Company's trained dog has a nose for no-good
Employers and parents concerned about drug abuse on their properties have a new tool at their disposal: Big Tony.
Big Tony is an 80-pound, 2-year-old labrador retriever whose nose is the foundation of Utah Drug Dog, the first company in the state offering contracted canine searches for illegal drugs. Now just over two weeks old, the company offers discreet inspections of homes, offices or schools that cater to the client, rather than the legal system.
Big Tony has been trained to detect marijuana, heroin, methamphetimine, crack and cocaine in a matter of seconds. Once he picks up the scent, the dog stops and sits, then stares in the direction from which the smell is coming. His reward is simple: Ty Brown, co-founder of Utah Drug Dog, tosses a tennis ball, Tony's "favorite thing in the world."
"He's the cheapest labor in Utah," said Brown. "It's a game, and he loves to do this."
Brown, who also owns Communicanine, a Riverton-based dog training company, and who formerly worked for a security dog agency in Boston, trained Big Tony using "pseudo," imitations of illegal drugs that offer identical scents. Now, though, Utah Drug Dog is licensed by the state to handle illegal drugs, and Brown hopes for a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Big Tony has been trained for much of his life to be a sniffer; though he must be focused and in control,
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exuberance and constant willingness to play are among his most important traits. Utah Drug Dog uses only Big Tony, but Brown hopes to someday have three canines.
Among the benefits of searching with a private company, according to Brown, are possible discounts for businesses on liability insurance and the ability to search a family member's room without his or her knowledge. Furthermore, if drugs are found, clients can dispose of them and approach employees or loved ones as they wish; Utah Drug Dog does not report discovered drugs to the police.
"Our job is to locate drugs and tell people that they may have a problem," said Brown. "Then it's up to them."
But Sgt. Richard Lewis of the Salt Lake City Police Department, City Narcotics believes that while a service like this can carry many benefits, police intervention is often the only guarantee of treatment for drug abusers.
"You have to have someone held accountable if you want them to get help," he said. "You can't keep enabling them."
Because Utah Drug Dog is the first business of its kind in Utah, Brown plans to lean heavily on consumer education in the business's initial stages. For now, the Web site and cold calls to potential customers are the main forms of marketing.
"But we think that word of mouth will be our best advertisement," he said.
For consumers, the service can carry a hefty price tag. Homes typically cost around $150 to search, and full-day inspections of large businesses or school districts can cost more than $600.
Still, Brown believes that the benefits outweigh the financial burden.
"This can be low-cost, it can be free or it can save you money," once insurance breaks for businesses are factored in, said Brown. "And if your child isn't doing any drugs and you do the search, you didn't break the child's trust.
"If you confront your child about it, the child can hide the drugs again or lie to you," he said. "But drug dog doesn't lie."
Big Tony is an 80-pound, 2-year-old labrador retriever whose nose is the foundation of Utah Drug Dog, the first company in the state offering contracted canine searches for illegal drugs. Now just over two weeks old, the company offers discreet inspections of homes, offices or schools that cater to the client, rather than the legal system.
Big Tony has been trained to detect marijuana, heroin, methamphetimine, crack and cocaine in a matter of seconds. Once he picks up the scent, the dog stops and sits, then stares in the direction from which the smell is coming. His reward is simple: Ty Brown, co-founder of Utah Drug Dog, tosses a tennis ball, Tony's "favorite thing in the world."
"He's the cheapest labor in Utah," said Brown. "It's a game, and he loves to do this."
Brown, who also owns Communicanine, a Riverton-based dog training company, and who formerly worked for a security dog agency in Boston, trained Big Tony using "pseudo," imitations of illegal drugs that offer identical scents. Now, though, Utah Drug Dog is licensed by the state to handle illegal drugs, and Brown hopes for a license from the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Big Tony has been trained for much of his life to be a sniffer; though he must be focused and in control,
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exuberance and constant willingness to play are among his most important traits. Utah Drug Dog uses only Big Tony, but Brown hopes to someday have three canines.
Among the benefits of searching with a private company, according to Brown, are possible discounts for businesses on liability insurance and the ability to search a family member's room without his or her knowledge. Furthermore, if drugs are found, clients can dispose of them and approach employees or loved ones as they wish; Utah Drug Dog does not report discovered drugs to the police.
"Our job is to locate drugs and tell people that they may have a problem," said Brown. "Then it's up to them."
But Sgt. Richard Lewis of the Salt Lake City Police Department, City Narcotics believes that while a service like this can carry many benefits, police intervention is often the only guarantee of treatment for drug abusers.
"You have to have someone held accountable if you want them to get help," he said. "You can't keep enabling them."
Because Utah Drug Dog is the first business of its kind in Utah, Brown plans to lean heavily on consumer education in the business's initial stages. For now, the Web site and cold calls to potential customers are the main forms of marketing.
"But we think that word of mouth will be our best advertisement," he said.
For consumers, the service can carry a hefty price tag. Homes typically cost around $150 to search, and full-day inspections of large businesses or school districts can cost more than $600.
Still, Brown believes that the benefits outweigh the financial burden.
"This can be low-cost, it can be free or it can save you money," once insurance breaks for businesses are factored in, said Brown. "And if your child isn't doing any drugs and you do the search, you didn't break the child's trust.
"If you confront your child about it, the child can hide the drugs again or lie to you," he said. "But drug dog doesn't lie."
Pets given drugs to help behavior
Catherine Griwkowsky
News Staff
Friday July 18, 2008
Medication use is on the rise for pets with bad behavior.
Dr. Louis Kwantes, veterinarian with the Park Veterinary Centre, said sometimes when a behavioral issue isn’t caused by lack of training or a physical problem, it can be psychological.
“It’s not a preferred initial line of defence, but we certainly do use those in a number of different occasions,” Kwantes said.
“I would tend to prescribe medications where normal behavioral altering therapy isn’t successful or in situations where the animal is, because of a psychological disorder, damaging itself or being a risk to itself,” he said.
He said fear aggression, dominance aggression, separation anxiety and phobias are examples where medication may be used in conjunction with behavioral therapy.
Thunder phobia is common.
Jen Scheidt, dog trainer with Sherwood Barks Agility and Dog Training, said most problems can be solved through training.
“Usually it’s correcting the behavior of the adults in the home,” Scheidt said.
“Most of the time the dogs are ruling the house. People don’t understand the way dogs think is different from the way people think.”
Based on her experience the many problems are caused by the way the owner acts with the dog.
People need to reinforce positive behavior and down play negative behaviors, rather than giving them attention when they misbehave, Scheidt said.
The only time she could see medication being necessary is in aggressive situations.
Last week, she was training a chihuahua that was attacking people it came in contact with. Most behavioral issues were solved, but the aggression remained.
“The dog all of a sudden bit a five year old again,” she said.
“It’s either sedate the dog or put the dog down.”
Kwantes said cats and dogs, like humans, can be senile and there is a drug Selegiline that is being prescribed to animals.
The dosage and formulation may be slightly different, but these drugs are the same used in humans.
Both Kwantes and Scheidt stressed the importance of teaching animals good behavior when they are young, and intervening early when a problem arises.
Scheidt said the ideal time to train a dog is when they are three months old.
Kwantes said the majority of people who come in thinking their pet has a behavioral problem, actually have a medical one and it is necessary to perform diagnosis on them.
News Staff
Friday July 18, 2008
Medication use is on the rise for pets with bad behavior.
Dr. Louis Kwantes, veterinarian with the Park Veterinary Centre, said sometimes when a behavioral issue isn’t caused by lack of training or a physical problem, it can be psychological.
“It’s not a preferred initial line of defence, but we certainly do use those in a number of different occasions,” Kwantes said.
“I would tend to prescribe medications where normal behavioral altering therapy isn’t successful or in situations where the animal is, because of a psychological disorder, damaging itself or being a risk to itself,” he said.
He said fear aggression, dominance aggression, separation anxiety and phobias are examples where medication may be used in conjunction with behavioral therapy.
Thunder phobia is common.
Jen Scheidt, dog trainer with Sherwood Barks Agility and Dog Training, said most problems can be solved through training.
“Usually it’s correcting the behavior of the adults in the home,” Scheidt said.
“Most of the time the dogs are ruling the house. People don’t understand the way dogs think is different from the way people think.”
Based on her experience the many problems are caused by the way the owner acts with the dog.
People need to reinforce positive behavior and down play negative behaviors, rather than giving them attention when they misbehave, Scheidt said.
The only time she could see medication being necessary is in aggressive situations.
Last week, she was training a chihuahua that was attacking people it came in contact with. Most behavioral issues were solved, but the aggression remained.
“The dog all of a sudden bit a five year old again,” she said.
“It’s either sedate the dog or put the dog down.”
Kwantes said cats and dogs, like humans, can be senile and there is a drug Selegiline that is being prescribed to animals.
The dosage and formulation may be slightly different, but these drugs are the same used in humans.
Both Kwantes and Scheidt stressed the importance of teaching animals good behavior when they are young, and intervening early when a problem arises.
Scheidt said the ideal time to train a dog is when they are three months old.
Kwantes said the majority of people who come in thinking their pet has a behavioral problem, actually have a medical one and it is necessary to perform diagnosis on them.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Trainer Terry Darragh jailed for dead of greyhound Go Bronco
By Kim Arlington
July 16, 2008 11:18am
A DOG trainer who left a $10,000 greyhound locked in an abandoned car has been sentenced to five months' weekend detention over the dog's death.
Terry Darragh claimed his station wagon, with prize-winning greyhound Go Bronco in the back, had been taken by thieves while he was at the pub.
It was later revealed that he dumped his car in panic after colliding with a bus in Glebe on January 12, following the Wentworth Park dog races.
The next day the 37-year-old falsely reported the car stolen.
Locked in a cage in sweltering temperatures for over 12 hours, Go Bronco was found by a passer-by in Glebe on January 13.
The dog was critically ill with dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Despite the best efforts of vets, Go Bronco could not be saved and died a few days later.
Darragh pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty, negligent driving, making a false representation to police and failing to give details after a car accident.
He faced Balmain Local Court today, with defence lawyer Benjamin Goh telling the court Darragh was mortified that he let the dog die in the way it did.
Darragh had raised the dog from a pup and was remorseful for his actions, he said.
Magistrate Ross Clugston accepted evidence from a psychologist that the trainer was suffering from anxiety and depression at the time.
He ordered Darragh to spend five months in periodic detention over Go Bronco's death. He also sentenced him to 150 hours of community service for falsely sparking the police investigation and fined him a total of $1000 on the other two charges.
Darragh has lodged an appeal against the severity of his sentence.
July 16, 2008 11:18am
A DOG trainer who left a $10,000 greyhound locked in an abandoned car has been sentenced to five months' weekend detention over the dog's death.
Terry Darragh claimed his station wagon, with prize-winning greyhound Go Bronco in the back, had been taken by thieves while he was at the pub.
It was later revealed that he dumped his car in panic after colliding with a bus in Glebe on January 12, following the Wentworth Park dog races.
The next day the 37-year-old falsely reported the car stolen.
Locked in a cage in sweltering temperatures for over 12 hours, Go Bronco was found by a passer-by in Glebe on January 13.
The dog was critically ill with dehydration and heat exhaustion.
Despite the best efforts of vets, Go Bronco could not be saved and died a few days later.
Darragh pleaded guilty to charges of animal cruelty, negligent driving, making a false representation to police and failing to give details after a car accident.
He faced Balmain Local Court today, with defence lawyer Benjamin Goh telling the court Darragh was mortified that he let the dog die in the way it did.
Darragh had raised the dog from a pup and was remorseful for his actions, he said.
Magistrate Ross Clugston accepted evidence from a psychologist that the trainer was suffering from anxiety and depression at the time.
He ordered Darragh to spend five months in periodic detention over Go Bronco's death. He also sentenced him to 150 hours of community service for falsely sparking the police investigation and fined him a total of $1000 on the other two charges.
Darragh has lodged an appeal against the severity of his sentence.
Viewers react to pit bull attack
When Holly Leach battled her roommate, whose pit bull apparently attacked her son, some viewers thought it looked like a scene from Jerry Springer.
Viewer Amy Hines was among the pit bull owners upset with NBC 24.
"I think it was just a family incident between two mutual friends. The dog wasn't vicious. It was a family dog," Hines said.
She e-mailed NBC 24, saying she was disgusted, it was unprofessional, and that the news should give an unbiased report - show the positive side of the breed.
So NBC 24's Rob Packard met the dog trainer and her pit bull at Wildwood Metropark.
"She's my baby because I don't have children. She lives with me, she is in my bed at night playing fetch. She's my family," Hines said about her pit bull.
She believes the breed gets a bad rap because of irresponsible owners, not because the dogs are naturally vicious.
"I think it's the environment that's the way they take care of their dog. I live in a different environment. This is the way I take care of my dog. My dog is going to act different," Hines said.
Viewer Amy Hines was among the pit bull owners upset with NBC 24.
"I think it was just a family incident between two mutual friends. The dog wasn't vicious. It was a family dog," Hines said.
She e-mailed NBC 24, saying she was disgusted, it was unprofessional, and that the news should give an unbiased report - show the positive side of the breed.
So NBC 24's Rob Packard met the dog trainer and her pit bull at Wildwood Metropark.
"She's my baby because I don't have children. She lives with me, she is in my bed at night playing fetch. She's my family," Hines said about her pit bull.
She believes the breed gets a bad rap because of irresponsible owners, not because the dogs are naturally vicious.
"I think it's the environment that's the way they take care of their dog. I live in a different environment. This is the way I take care of my dog. My dog is going to act different," Hines said.
Not Just Man's Best Friend
Posted by: Patrice Walsh
Tuesday, 7/15/08 3:02 pm - Before Bentley came along, 17 year old Lyndsy Bayer would often wander from her Webster home, sometimes getting lost in the woods behind the house. Can you imagine having that worry as a parent?
Lyndsy is severely affected by autism. She was diagnosed at the age of 5.
The 17-year-old also spoke very little before her four-legged canine service dog came into her life. Now she is using more words and is focusing on her dog. Trainer Dianne Long from All-Purpose Canines, has spent the past six days training Bentley to watch over Lyndsy. She says the two bonded immediately.
They share an emotional and physical bond. And they both wear ponytails.
Bentley wears one to teach Lyndsy to keep her hair off of her face.
Dianne spent months finding the perfect service dog to work with Lyndsy. She settled on the two-year old labradoodle because of his easy-going personality. I have done many stories on service dogs helping people. This one, really touched me more than any other. Even in the hour we spent with Bentley and Lyndsy, I could see how the dog calmed her down and made her open up. She spoke words which her Mom says doesn't happen that often.
I cannot imagine what Irene Bayer and her family have gone through since Lyndsy's diagnosis. Worrying about her wandering. Not sleeping at night. Now with Bentley by their daughter's side, they can finally close their eyes at night and get some sleep, knowing their daughter is in good hands. I should say, good paws.
The Bayers are grateful to the community for helping pay for Bentley.
They raised 16-thousand dollars through a fundraiser. Their efforts helped transform a 17-year-old girl's life and as her mother puts it: "brought her back into our world."
Tuesday, 7/15/08 3:02 pm - Before Bentley came along, 17 year old Lyndsy Bayer would often wander from her Webster home, sometimes getting lost in the woods behind the house. Can you imagine having that worry as a parent?
Lyndsy is severely affected by autism. She was diagnosed at the age of 5.
The 17-year-old also spoke very little before her four-legged canine service dog came into her life. Now she is using more words and is focusing on her dog. Trainer Dianne Long from All-Purpose Canines, has spent the past six days training Bentley to watch over Lyndsy. She says the two bonded immediately.
They share an emotional and physical bond. And they both wear ponytails.
Bentley wears one to teach Lyndsy to keep her hair off of her face.
Dianne spent months finding the perfect service dog to work with Lyndsy. She settled on the two-year old labradoodle because of his easy-going personality. I have done many stories on service dogs helping people. This one, really touched me more than any other. Even in the hour we spent with Bentley and Lyndsy, I could see how the dog calmed her down and made her open up. She spoke words which her Mom says doesn't happen that often.
I cannot imagine what Irene Bayer and her family have gone through since Lyndsy's diagnosis. Worrying about her wandering. Not sleeping at night. Now with Bentley by their daughter's side, they can finally close their eyes at night and get some sleep, knowing their daughter is in good hands. I should say, good paws.
The Bayers are grateful to the community for helping pay for Bentley.
They raised 16-thousand dollars through a fundraiser. Their efforts helped transform a 17-year-old girl's life and as her mother puts it: "brought her back into our world."
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
A trained dog is a happy dog
By Craig Babstock
Times & Transcript Staff
The old phrase, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks,' irritates dog owners to no end.
Cindy Goguen owner of Khoof-Shaw Dog Training and Services has her seven-year-old Australian Shepherd Max sit and stay during a training session.
Click to Enlarge
RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Cindy Goguen owner of Khoof-Shaw Dog Training & Services says training a dog is always well worth the effort for owners.
"That's absolutely not accurate," says Darr Houssen, who's trained many an old dog in her 27 years in the business.
Houssen, who operates Houssen's Dog Training Centre with her husband Jim in Indian Mountain, says it may take a little longer to train an adult dog, and you may have to use different methods, but they can certainly learn 'new tricks.'
Cindy Goguen, who runs Khoof-Shaw Dog Training & Services in Saint-Andre-LeBlanc, has the same opinion on training older canines.
"There's no age limit," she says. "You can teach an old dog new tricks."
That provides hope for anyone whose adult dog suffers from behaviour problems. It's nice to know it's never too late to get the pooch to stop chomping the furniture.
But both trainers also agree the best time to start training your dog is when it's still a puppy. Houssen, who has 12 dogs of her own, says between two to four months old is the perfect time to teach a puppy basic obedience.
She describes dogs at that age as both lumps of clay ready to be moulded and sponges eager to soak up new information.
Training a dog is important and not just so you can show off by making your pet sit for company. An obedient dog means a calmer household, a stronger bond between pet and owner and a dog who's more content because he knows his role.
An untrained dog can be trouble.
"If the human doesn't intervene and become the pack leader, the dog may try to take on that role or look for another individual to fulfill it," says Houssen. "That can snowball into disastrous behaviour."
That behaviour may include aggression, dominance, obsessing over toys, chewing on furniture and separation anxiety. While adult dogs can be trained out of such troublesome behaviour, it's easier to teach puppies the right way to act from the start.
More importantly, many people who can't handle their dogs often turn them over to places like the SPCA, or an extreme cases have them put down. Training a dog after bringing it into the home will likely increase the odds she will stay there and have a happy life with her new family.
Goguen, who has four dogs of her own, says some of the basic behaviours to teach a dog are to come when called, to be quiet, the 'leave it' or 'off' command to stop the animal from chewing or eating something and also the command to not jump up on people. The first one may be the most important.
"The recall command could actually save a dog's life, for example, if it's running across a road," says Goguen, adding it's also helpful if the dog decides to chase an animal while walking in the woods.
There are different ways to train a dog, including one on one sessions, a class setting, or at home using one of the many dog training manuals available. The owner can also use a clicker during training, which is a device that makes a noise when the dog performs an appropriate behaviour.
Goguen says she meets with her clients, determines what their goals are and gets to know the dog and it's personality. She then comes up with a game plan for training the dog. She rewards the good behaviour with a toy or a treat or a chance to run or play.
"It makes the dog want to work with you," she says.
It can take anywhere from four sessions to a dozen, all depending on the behaviours being taught, the age of the dog and if there are pre-existing problems.
Whether the dog is being trained or not, it's important for owners to walk the animal at least once per day. A tired dog is less likely to cause trouble, which makes for a happy owner.
"Many dogs are locked up in the house all day and they don't have an outlet to get out their energy," says Goguen. "It builds up and they become frustrated."
When asked if any particular breeds are easier to train than others, Houssen says it really depends on the individual dogs. Just because one member of a breed is easy to teach or difficult, that doesn't mean the entire breed can be classified the same.
While people who work with dogs are known as 'dog trainers,' that's not entirely accurate. Their profession is more about teaching dog owners the proper way to handle their animals and reinforce positive behaviour.
"If the owners make the changes necessary for their dog, that's what makes the magic happen," says Houssen.
Times & Transcript Staff
The old phrase, 'You can't teach an old dog new tricks,' irritates dog owners to no end.
Cindy Goguen owner of Khoof-Shaw Dog Training and Services has her seven-year-old Australian Shepherd Max sit and stay during a training session.
Click to Enlarge
RON WARD/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Cindy Goguen owner of Khoof-Shaw Dog Training & Services says training a dog is always well worth the effort for owners.
"That's absolutely not accurate," says Darr Houssen, who's trained many an old dog in her 27 years in the business.
Houssen, who operates Houssen's Dog Training Centre with her husband Jim in Indian Mountain, says it may take a little longer to train an adult dog, and you may have to use different methods, but they can certainly learn 'new tricks.'
Cindy Goguen, who runs Khoof-Shaw Dog Training & Services in Saint-Andre-LeBlanc, has the same opinion on training older canines.
"There's no age limit," she says. "You can teach an old dog new tricks."
That provides hope for anyone whose adult dog suffers from behaviour problems. It's nice to know it's never too late to get the pooch to stop chomping the furniture.
But both trainers also agree the best time to start training your dog is when it's still a puppy. Houssen, who has 12 dogs of her own, says between two to four months old is the perfect time to teach a puppy basic obedience.
She describes dogs at that age as both lumps of clay ready to be moulded and sponges eager to soak up new information.
Training a dog is important and not just so you can show off by making your pet sit for company. An obedient dog means a calmer household, a stronger bond between pet and owner and a dog who's more content because he knows his role.
An untrained dog can be trouble.
"If the human doesn't intervene and become the pack leader, the dog may try to take on that role or look for another individual to fulfill it," says Houssen. "That can snowball into disastrous behaviour."
That behaviour may include aggression, dominance, obsessing over toys, chewing on furniture and separation anxiety. While adult dogs can be trained out of such troublesome behaviour, it's easier to teach puppies the right way to act from the start.
More importantly, many people who can't handle their dogs often turn them over to places like the SPCA, or an extreme cases have them put down. Training a dog after bringing it into the home will likely increase the odds she will stay there and have a happy life with her new family.
Goguen, who has four dogs of her own, says some of the basic behaviours to teach a dog are to come when called, to be quiet, the 'leave it' or 'off' command to stop the animal from chewing or eating something and also the command to not jump up on people. The first one may be the most important.
"The recall command could actually save a dog's life, for example, if it's running across a road," says Goguen, adding it's also helpful if the dog decides to chase an animal while walking in the woods.
There are different ways to train a dog, including one on one sessions, a class setting, or at home using one of the many dog training manuals available. The owner can also use a clicker during training, which is a device that makes a noise when the dog performs an appropriate behaviour.
Goguen says she meets with her clients, determines what their goals are and gets to know the dog and it's personality. She then comes up with a game plan for training the dog. She rewards the good behaviour with a toy or a treat or a chance to run or play.
"It makes the dog want to work with you," she says.
It can take anywhere from four sessions to a dozen, all depending on the behaviours being taught, the age of the dog and if there are pre-existing problems.
Whether the dog is being trained or not, it's important for owners to walk the animal at least once per day. A tired dog is less likely to cause trouble, which makes for a happy owner.
"Many dogs are locked up in the house all day and they don't have an outlet to get out their energy," says Goguen. "It builds up and they become frustrated."
When asked if any particular breeds are easier to train than others, Houssen says it really depends on the individual dogs. Just because one member of a breed is easy to teach or difficult, that doesn't mean the entire breed can be classified the same.
While people who work with dogs are known as 'dog trainers,' that's not entirely accurate. Their profession is more about teaching dog owners the proper way to handle their animals and reinforce positive behaviour.
"If the owners make the changes necessary for their dog, that's what makes the magic happen," says Houssen.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Nun was instrumental in linking dogs, inmates
The idea of pairing animals and inmates is most often credited to an eccentric Dominican Order nun.
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Because the majority of animal/inmate programs are run by individual nonprofit organizations, it can be difficult to track their number and origins, but many agree it was Sister Pauline Quinn who got things going when she helped start a program to train service dogs in 1981 at Washington State Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor.
The plan was for inmates to use the dogs as tools to help others, such as people with disabilities who could benefit from the service of a dog. If the prisoners are "doing something positive for people, then their suffering takes on meaning," Quinn said during a recent phone interview.
The program also showed the inmates — and society — that they could do something constructive with their lives and that they could do it within the confines of correctional institutions.
Quinn said she came up with the idea after enduring what she referred to as "a difficult life" — self-harm, institutionalization in psychiatric wards and abuse are often mentioned in stories about her — and finding solace in a dog.
The idea, she said, was initially met with skepticism. Authorities worried the inmates might train the dogs to attack guards, and that the authorities would lose a certain amount of control by allowing the inmates the freedom to care for the dogs.
But in the end, Quinn, or the dogs, won, and she now helps other corrections institutions across the nation, and world — she worked with one in Italy — implement their own animal programs through the nonprofit Pathways to Hope.
Quinn said she does not know if participants in the original program had lower rates of recidivism, but she does know that, once released into society, several started grooming and dog-training schools and that the program is still going.
While other programs, including ones with horses and cats — the Audubon Youth Development Center in Louisville uses miniature horses — have taken off more recently, she said the ones using dogs are still the most common. They work, she said, because they provide the inmates with unconditional love.
"They don't care what you look like; they don't care what crime you did. They just care to love and to be loved."
Working with youths
Animals are believed to have begun making inroads in juvenile correctional facilities a little more than a decade after Quinn started her work in Washington.
One of the first efforts to bring animals to juveniles was Project POOCH, which paired troubled youths at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Ore., with dogs local shelters had difficulty placing.
Founded by Joan Dalton in 1993 with two youths and two dogs, it has grown to include 15 kennels and 12 youths to help with the dogs at any one time — and a training conference for those who want to implement a similar program in their states.
The youths in the program — sex offenders, violent offenders, substance abusers and others — learn to train and groom the dogs and help find them adoptive homes.
"We're taking the dogs that the shelters have the most difficult time adopting out, and so the youths may say, 'Maybe I took a life, or I harmed someone; this is a way for me to give back for what I've taken because I'm going to save this dog by giving the dog training,'" Dalton said.
She said she has noticed some participants, who have children of their own, utilizing the positive-reinforcement lessons they learned through the program on their children. Others, she said, have gone on to find jobs in the pet industry, and one is even studying to be a veterinarian.
One of the reasons the program works so well, she said, is that the dogs are housed in a kennel on the facility, thereby alleviating any issues that might develop with staff or other detainees not affiliated with the program.
As opposed to working with adults, who often can take the dog to their cells, working with youths poses the added difficulty of often working in a dormitory-room setting, said Dalton.
That was one of the issues with a greyhound program at a juvenile correctional facility in Ohio, said Andrea Kruse, a public information officer with the Ohio Department of Youth Services.
"Because in an open-dorm facility you need 100 percent buy-in from every kid there in the unit," she said.
Maria Carney, president of the greyhound program that placed the dogs, said she ended the program after the family of one of the residents asked to adopt a dog purely to protect it from other detainees.
Another obstacle to working with youths is that they are in the facilities for a much shorter time than are most adults. That was the main issue Sally Irvin faced when she started the Indiana Canine Assistance Network (ICAN) in 2001 with two incarcerated youths.
Training dogs to serve people with mobility difficulties is a time-consuming process, said Irvin, and the youths did not have the maturity or time to make it work.
Despite the difficulties, last fall Kentucky implemented a greyhound program at Morehead Youth Development Center, a staff-secured facility for girls ages 12 to 18 who have committed crimes ranging from truancy to murder.
Almost a year into the program, it is going strong, said Sylvia Kuster, a curriculum specialist for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, who was instrumental in getting the program off the ground.
"This is the first program, as far as we know, in the United States that has dealt with greyhound rescue and juveniles, and has been successful at it for this period of time," she said.
The Morehead model
Pets have been a part of life within the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice for years, said Rodney Young, director of mental-health services for the department. But, he added, until the greyhound program at Morehead, there were never any organized therapeutic-animal programs.
In addition to the greyhounds, there is a miniature-horse program at Audubon Youth Development Center in Louisville and plans to implement Project POOCH at the same facility.
Both programs provide a connection with emotions and needs that traditional therapy does not, said Young.
"We talk with them until they're blue in the face, we deal with their behavior daily ... but there's still so much to your personality that those interventions don't touch — but the animals do," he said.
Since the greyhound program began at Morehead, the reported incidents of assaultive behavior, both youth-on-youth and youth-on-staff, have decreased, said Ron Haws, acting commissioner for the Department of Juvenile Justice. Staff members report that the greyhounds have also taught the girls about selfishness, responsibility and second chances.
"I think it teaches them unconditional love because there are so many young ladies here who have not had that; they have not known what it's like to be loved no matter what they do in life, no matter what's happened," said April Frazier, a counselor at Morehead.
Organizers were looking for a facility with staff that would not only be receptive to the idea but also would be excited about working with animals. Partnerships were arranged with the veterinary science and technology program at Morehead, an education teacher at the university researching the human-animal bond, and Greyhound Pets of America, Louisville chapter.
Because retired racing greyhounds need time to adjust to things like stairs, windows and wood floors — which they may not encounter during their years at the track — having a program that helps them cope and provides a place for them to stay while homes are found is invaluable, according to greyhound rescue workers. All of the 11 dogs who have been through the program so far have been placed successfully in homes.
It was the success of the greyhound program, on both the human and animal sides, that led the department to look into Project POOCH, said Haws.
"If we can use an animal to get kids to open up about the kinds of issues they see themselves having, and working them out with trained adults, then we've gone a long way," he said. "And in the meantime, we also help the animal."
Reporter Katya Cengel can be reached at (502) 582-4224.
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Because the majority of animal/inmate programs are run by individual nonprofit organizations, it can be difficult to track their number and origins, but many agree it was Sister Pauline Quinn who got things going when she helped start a program to train service dogs in 1981 at Washington State Corrections Center for Women in Gig Harbor.
The plan was for inmates to use the dogs as tools to help others, such as people with disabilities who could benefit from the service of a dog. If the prisoners are "doing something positive for people, then their suffering takes on meaning," Quinn said during a recent phone interview.
The program also showed the inmates — and society — that they could do something constructive with their lives and that they could do it within the confines of correctional institutions.
Quinn said she came up with the idea after enduring what she referred to as "a difficult life" — self-harm, institutionalization in psychiatric wards and abuse are often mentioned in stories about her — and finding solace in a dog.
The idea, she said, was initially met with skepticism. Authorities worried the inmates might train the dogs to attack guards, and that the authorities would lose a certain amount of control by allowing the inmates the freedom to care for the dogs.
But in the end, Quinn, or the dogs, won, and she now helps other corrections institutions across the nation, and world — she worked with one in Italy — implement their own animal programs through the nonprofit Pathways to Hope.
Quinn said she does not know if participants in the original program had lower rates of recidivism, but she does know that, once released into society, several started grooming and dog-training schools and that the program is still going.
While other programs, including ones with horses and cats — the Audubon Youth Development Center in Louisville uses miniature horses — have taken off more recently, she said the ones using dogs are still the most common. They work, she said, because they provide the inmates with unconditional love.
"They don't care what you look like; they don't care what crime you did. They just care to love and to be loved."
Working with youths
Animals are believed to have begun making inroads in juvenile correctional facilities a little more than a decade after Quinn started her work in Washington.
One of the first efforts to bring animals to juveniles was Project POOCH, which paired troubled youths at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Woodburn, Ore., with dogs local shelters had difficulty placing.
Founded by Joan Dalton in 1993 with two youths and two dogs, it has grown to include 15 kennels and 12 youths to help with the dogs at any one time — and a training conference for those who want to implement a similar program in their states.
The youths in the program — sex offenders, violent offenders, substance abusers and others — learn to train and groom the dogs and help find them adoptive homes.
"We're taking the dogs that the shelters have the most difficult time adopting out, and so the youths may say, 'Maybe I took a life, or I harmed someone; this is a way for me to give back for what I've taken because I'm going to save this dog by giving the dog training,'" Dalton said.
She said she has noticed some participants, who have children of their own, utilizing the positive-reinforcement lessons they learned through the program on their children. Others, she said, have gone on to find jobs in the pet industry, and one is even studying to be a veterinarian.
One of the reasons the program works so well, she said, is that the dogs are housed in a kennel on the facility, thereby alleviating any issues that might develop with staff or other detainees not affiliated with the program.
As opposed to working with adults, who often can take the dog to their cells, working with youths poses the added difficulty of often working in a dormitory-room setting, said Dalton.
That was one of the issues with a greyhound program at a juvenile correctional facility in Ohio, said Andrea Kruse, a public information officer with the Ohio Department of Youth Services.
"Because in an open-dorm facility you need 100 percent buy-in from every kid there in the unit," she said.
Maria Carney, president of the greyhound program that placed the dogs, said she ended the program after the family of one of the residents asked to adopt a dog purely to protect it from other detainees.
Another obstacle to working with youths is that they are in the facilities for a much shorter time than are most adults. That was the main issue Sally Irvin faced when she started the Indiana Canine Assistance Network (ICAN) in 2001 with two incarcerated youths.
Training dogs to serve people with mobility difficulties is a time-consuming process, said Irvin, and the youths did not have the maturity or time to make it work.
Despite the difficulties, last fall Kentucky implemented a greyhound program at Morehead Youth Development Center, a staff-secured facility for girls ages 12 to 18 who have committed crimes ranging from truancy to murder.
Almost a year into the program, it is going strong, said Sylvia Kuster, a curriculum specialist for the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice, who was instrumental in getting the program off the ground.
"This is the first program, as far as we know, in the United States that has dealt with greyhound rescue and juveniles, and has been successful at it for this period of time," she said.
The Morehead model
Pets have been a part of life within the Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice for years, said Rodney Young, director of mental-health services for the department. But, he added, until the greyhound program at Morehead, there were never any organized therapeutic-animal programs.
In addition to the greyhounds, there is a miniature-horse program at Audubon Youth Development Center in Louisville and plans to implement Project POOCH at the same facility.
Both programs provide a connection with emotions and needs that traditional therapy does not, said Young.
"We talk with them until they're blue in the face, we deal with their behavior daily ... but there's still so much to your personality that those interventions don't touch — but the animals do," he said.
Since the greyhound program began at Morehead, the reported incidents of assaultive behavior, both youth-on-youth and youth-on-staff, have decreased, said Ron Haws, acting commissioner for the Department of Juvenile Justice. Staff members report that the greyhounds have also taught the girls about selfishness, responsibility and second chances.
"I think it teaches them unconditional love because there are so many young ladies here who have not had that; they have not known what it's like to be loved no matter what they do in life, no matter what's happened," said April Frazier, a counselor at Morehead.
Organizers were looking for a facility with staff that would not only be receptive to the idea but also would be excited about working with animals. Partnerships were arranged with the veterinary science and technology program at Morehead, an education teacher at the university researching the human-animal bond, and Greyhound Pets of America, Louisville chapter.
Because retired racing greyhounds need time to adjust to things like stairs, windows and wood floors — which they may not encounter during their years at the track — having a program that helps them cope and provides a place for them to stay while homes are found is invaluable, according to greyhound rescue workers. All of the 11 dogs who have been through the program so far have been placed successfully in homes.
It was the success of the greyhound program, on both the human and animal sides, that led the department to look into Project POOCH, said Haws.
"If we can use an animal to get kids to open up about the kinds of issues they see themselves having, and working them out with trained adults, then we've gone a long way," he said. "And in the meantime, we also help the animal."
Reporter Katya Cengel can be reached at (502) 582-4224.
Pet detectives track down missing animals
Jul 13, 2008 1:42 PM (17 hrs ago) AP
» 17 hrs ago: Pet detectives track down missing animals «
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Laura Totis and her four-year-old German shepherd Chewy arrived at the Reisterstown cul-de-sac. Two days earlier Biscuit, a freshly shorn Wheaten terrier, had fled in a panic.
Waiting for Totis were Biscuit's owner, Namha Corbin, and the dog-sitting friend on whose watch Biscuit had vanished.
Totis is one of two full-time pet detectives in the Baltimore area. Her friendly competitor is Sam Connelly of Pure Gold Pet Trackers. They both get several calls each week about a missing pet.
Usually it's a dog or cat, but the two have looked for a ferret in Canton, a llama, and even a pet skunk in Pennsylvania.
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Totis and Connelly offer practical advice as part of their services. For example, they recommend well-placed posters with a phone number in large type.
Such techniques were recommended by Connelly to a client. They led to the return of Mike the ferret after a neighbor who had seen posters glimpsed the weasel slinking across his backyard.
But both detectives stand ready to deploy their four-legged associates, whose noses are capable of following a smell to its source.
That's exactly what Chewy was eager to do in Reisterstown when she hopped out of the car in her blue harness. She was offered a few whiffs of Biscuit's dog bed.
The details of Biscuit's disappearance: Mareco Edwards, Corbin's friend, said Corbin, a lawyer, had dropped Biscuit off at his place Sunday before leaving on a business trip. Everything went fine until one evening when Edwards was working in his garage with Biscuit lying nearby. Then came a crack of bone-rattling thunder.
Dog and man jumped. Then came another ear-splitting clap. This time, Biscuit ran out of the open garage.
Edwards, a 39-year-old insurance broker, gave chase, then searched from his SUV. Nothing.
Corbin got home, and there was still no sign of her dog. She immediately joined Edwards in the search, but other than finding out that two neighbors had seen Biscuit in their yard, the night turned up nothing. The next day, Corbin and Edwards took off work to print fliers, visit animal shelters and post Web notices.
Edwards stumbled across the Web site of LJT Training, Totis' dog training and tracking business in Hampstead.
The 45-year-old Totis said the large entourage could make a nervous dog even more so. Still, Totis thought Chewy might be able to provide vital clues about Biscuit's flight path.
Totis says about 80 percent of her animal cases are successful. She never did find that pet skunk in Pennsylvania, and the llama was captured before she got there.
A dedicated pet owner is the most important element, she says. In this case, Biscuit not only had ID tags but a microchip embedded under her skin.
Chewy began to pull Totis, dropping her snout to the ground as she raced around Freshman Court, over manicured yards, across Diploma Drive, down Transcript Circle and into still more yards.
Within minutes, Chewy gave her first head lift, a sign that she'd made an olfactory match. This was near woods a few hundred yards from Edwards' home.
As Totis and Chewy moved into the woods, Edwards followed with his flashlight. Corbin called out, "Biscuit! Come on, boo-boo bear, where are you?"
Chewy kept poking around the woods, trailing what Totis termed a very good track. But then, inexplicably, she lost her way.
Totis was optimistic. It appeared that Biscuit had passed this way. No corpse meant she was probably still alive, maybe not too far away.
The search continued, but after two hours, the team was ready to call it a night.
They returned to Edwards' home and met around his dining table. Biscuit had almost certainly been in those woods, and conceivably still was. She'd also been in the two yards where neighbors saw her, but based on Chewy's signals was not inside either house or in that immediate area now.
Totis' instructions: Put food by the woods, along with flour to indicate whether any footprints left behind were Biscuit's. Put an old shirt of Corbin's on the ground to give Biscuit a familiar smell.
Totis asked for $50, mostly to cover her time and gas. Edwards doubled it, grateful for the leads and tips.
They did everything Totis recommended.
About 36 hours later, Corbin's cell phone rang. P.J. Bean was calling.
He had Biscuit.
The dog was alive and safe. Hungry and tired, but in good shape.
Bean had not seen the posters. But Chewy had been right: Bean lives a short walk from the woods and first saw Biscuit the day before Totis and Chewy's search.
All that mattered to Corbin was that she had her dog back.
» 17 hrs ago: Pet detectives track down missing animals «
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Laura Totis and her four-year-old German shepherd Chewy arrived at the Reisterstown cul-de-sac. Two days earlier Biscuit, a freshly shorn Wheaten terrier, had fled in a panic.
Waiting for Totis were Biscuit's owner, Namha Corbin, and the dog-sitting friend on whose watch Biscuit had vanished.
Totis is one of two full-time pet detectives in the Baltimore area. Her friendly competitor is Sam Connelly of Pure Gold Pet Trackers. They both get several calls each week about a missing pet.
Usually it's a dog or cat, but the two have looked for a ferret in Canton, a llama, and even a pet skunk in Pennsylvania.
EXAMINER.COM RELATED ARTICLES
Baltimore Police Blotter
Kids' cooking camps sizzling in popularity
Baltimore Police Blotter
Westminster man charged with double homicide
Fringe autism treatment could get federal study
Totis and Connelly offer practical advice as part of their services. For example, they recommend well-placed posters with a phone number in large type.
Such techniques were recommended by Connelly to a client. They led to the return of Mike the ferret after a neighbor who had seen posters glimpsed the weasel slinking across his backyard.
But both detectives stand ready to deploy their four-legged associates, whose noses are capable of following a smell to its source.
That's exactly what Chewy was eager to do in Reisterstown when she hopped out of the car in her blue harness. She was offered a few whiffs of Biscuit's dog bed.
The details of Biscuit's disappearance: Mareco Edwards, Corbin's friend, said Corbin, a lawyer, had dropped Biscuit off at his place Sunday before leaving on a business trip. Everything went fine until one evening when Edwards was working in his garage with Biscuit lying nearby. Then came a crack of bone-rattling thunder.
Dog and man jumped. Then came another ear-splitting clap. This time, Biscuit ran out of the open garage.
Edwards, a 39-year-old insurance broker, gave chase, then searched from his SUV. Nothing.
Corbin got home, and there was still no sign of her dog. She immediately joined Edwards in the search, but other than finding out that two neighbors had seen Biscuit in their yard, the night turned up nothing. The next day, Corbin and Edwards took off work to print fliers, visit animal shelters and post Web notices.
Edwards stumbled across the Web site of LJT Training, Totis' dog training and tracking business in Hampstead.
The 45-year-old Totis said the large entourage could make a nervous dog even more so. Still, Totis thought Chewy might be able to provide vital clues about Biscuit's flight path.
Totis says about 80 percent of her animal cases are successful. She never did find that pet skunk in Pennsylvania, and the llama was captured before she got there.
A dedicated pet owner is the most important element, she says. In this case, Biscuit not only had ID tags but a microchip embedded under her skin.
Chewy began to pull Totis, dropping her snout to the ground as she raced around Freshman Court, over manicured yards, across Diploma Drive, down Transcript Circle and into still more yards.
Within minutes, Chewy gave her first head lift, a sign that she'd made an olfactory match. This was near woods a few hundred yards from Edwards' home.
As Totis and Chewy moved into the woods, Edwards followed with his flashlight. Corbin called out, "Biscuit! Come on, boo-boo bear, where are you?"
Chewy kept poking around the woods, trailing what Totis termed a very good track. But then, inexplicably, she lost her way.
Totis was optimistic. It appeared that Biscuit had passed this way. No corpse meant she was probably still alive, maybe not too far away.
The search continued, but after two hours, the team was ready to call it a night.
They returned to Edwards' home and met around his dining table. Biscuit had almost certainly been in those woods, and conceivably still was. She'd also been in the two yards where neighbors saw her, but based on Chewy's signals was not inside either house or in that immediate area now.
Totis' instructions: Put food by the woods, along with flour to indicate whether any footprints left behind were Biscuit's. Put an old shirt of Corbin's on the ground to give Biscuit a familiar smell.
Totis asked for $50, mostly to cover her time and gas. Edwards doubled it, grateful for the leads and tips.
They did everything Totis recommended.
About 36 hours later, Corbin's cell phone rang. P.J. Bean was calling.
He had Biscuit.
The dog was alive and safe. Hungry and tired, but in good shape.
Bean had not seen the posters. But Chewy had been right: Bean lives a short walk from the woods and first saw Biscuit the day before Totis and Chewy's search.
All that mattered to Corbin was that she had her dog back.
Direct kids to pet your dog in a way that both will enjoy
By Linda Lombardi,
For The Associated Press
Published: Monday, July 14, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 14, 2008 at 1:52 a.m.
Associated Press
Trixtan, a blue mural collie, responds to a command given by 11-yearold Myles Blane (left) as dog trainer Amy Robinson gives instructions at Myles' home in Vero Beach, Fla., last month.
"Can I pet your dog?"
Most of us want to say yes. A good neighbor lets children pet his dog, right?
"People want to be nice," says Colleen Pelar, dog trainer and author of Living with Kids and Dogs ... Without Losing Your Mind. "But by being nice to people we're sometimes not nice to our dogs."
Many people don't recognize the subtle signs of stress in dog body language. You may not realize that your dog tolerates being petted by strangers but does not enjoy it.
"If we don't see that, we're going to be blindsided on the day that's more stressful, when four kids come over and your dog snaps," says Pelar.
There's certainly no need to panic about the odds of a dog bite. In her book Dogs Bite But Balloons and Slippers are More Dangerous, trainer Janis Bradley gives statistics showing that more emergency room visits can be attributed to accidents with furniture or footwear than interactions with dogs.
But no matter how small the chance is - no matter if it's just a snap and not even a scratch - you know how bad you'd feel if it was your dog. So follow a few simple rules, and understand some basic elements of canine body language.
Ask permission. Most kids know to ask the owner if it's OK. But, Pelar emphasizes, "Then you have to ask the dog."
Some experts suggest having the child putting out a closed fist or a hand with palm upraised; others say just stand there. But all agree: Let the dog decide whether to approach the child. Don't hold a dog still in your lap for petting, and respect the dog's decision if it turns away or moves behind the owner.
Watch the body language. If the dog does approach, observe the body language. Don't concentrate on the tail - it can be hard to read. Pelar says, "I tell people that if they're looking at the tail, they're watching the wrong end of the dog."
Instead, the mouth can give a lot of clues. A dog that's licking lips, panting excessively or yawning is showing that he's not comfortable. These are oral self-soothing behaviors much like sucking your thumb, says Pelar. In contrast - opposite of the common maternal fear of the teeth showing - if the dog's mouth is open, that's a sign that it's relaxed.
Pick the right spot. Pet a dog under the chin or along the neck or side, not the top of the head.
Pelar explains this to children by saying, "Avoid the sensitive eyes and ears." This is easy to understand, and the result is that they avoid the blind spot on the top of the dog's head.
Go slow. Encourage children to pet slowly, rather than rapid patting. "Slow motion like in the movies, every kid understands what that means," says trainer Amy Robinson, whose DVD Drool School teaches dog safety to children.
Be ready. You can also do some advance training to prepare your dog for social interactions. Although children should be told not to pull ears or tail, sometimes they're too quick to stop. So do desensitization exercises with your dog by touching or very gently pulling ears and tail, and then praising him. (Robinson says she doesn't use food rewards for this, so that the dog doesn't see children as a possible source of treats if they touch him in those spots.)
Teach well. Aside from watching out for your dog's comfort level, you may want to be prepared to gently educate. When explaining to children how to approach a dog, see it from their point of view.
"How would you like some strange person to run up to you, squeal, grab your face and give you a big kiss? They get that, they understand that when you put it in those terms," says Robinson.
Don't blame. If you have to say no because your dog's showing a stress-related behavior, take the opportunity to point it out. And on both sides, try to understand that it's not a judgment on the child or on the dog if this just isn't the right moment.
"If the owner says no, that's no reflection on the child's behavior," says Pelar. "That person is not saying that you're not kind to dogs. They're saying that my dog's not comfortable. And that's OK."
For The Associated Press
Published: Monday, July 14, 2008 at 3:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, July 14, 2008 at 1:52 a.m.
Associated Press
Trixtan, a blue mural collie, responds to a command given by 11-yearold Myles Blane (left) as dog trainer Amy Robinson gives instructions at Myles' home in Vero Beach, Fla., last month.
"Can I pet your dog?"
Most of us want to say yes. A good neighbor lets children pet his dog, right?
"People want to be nice," says Colleen Pelar, dog trainer and author of Living with Kids and Dogs ... Without Losing Your Mind. "But by being nice to people we're sometimes not nice to our dogs."
Many people don't recognize the subtle signs of stress in dog body language. You may not realize that your dog tolerates being petted by strangers but does not enjoy it.
"If we don't see that, we're going to be blindsided on the day that's more stressful, when four kids come over and your dog snaps," says Pelar.
There's certainly no need to panic about the odds of a dog bite. In her book Dogs Bite But Balloons and Slippers are More Dangerous, trainer Janis Bradley gives statistics showing that more emergency room visits can be attributed to accidents with furniture or footwear than interactions with dogs.
But no matter how small the chance is - no matter if it's just a snap and not even a scratch - you know how bad you'd feel if it was your dog. So follow a few simple rules, and understand some basic elements of canine body language.
Ask permission. Most kids know to ask the owner if it's OK. But, Pelar emphasizes, "Then you have to ask the dog."
Some experts suggest having the child putting out a closed fist or a hand with palm upraised; others say just stand there. But all agree: Let the dog decide whether to approach the child. Don't hold a dog still in your lap for petting, and respect the dog's decision if it turns away or moves behind the owner.
Watch the body language. If the dog does approach, observe the body language. Don't concentrate on the tail - it can be hard to read. Pelar says, "I tell people that if they're looking at the tail, they're watching the wrong end of the dog."
Instead, the mouth can give a lot of clues. A dog that's licking lips, panting excessively or yawning is showing that he's not comfortable. These are oral self-soothing behaviors much like sucking your thumb, says Pelar. In contrast - opposite of the common maternal fear of the teeth showing - if the dog's mouth is open, that's a sign that it's relaxed.
Pick the right spot. Pet a dog under the chin or along the neck or side, not the top of the head.
Pelar explains this to children by saying, "Avoid the sensitive eyes and ears." This is easy to understand, and the result is that they avoid the blind spot on the top of the dog's head.
Go slow. Encourage children to pet slowly, rather than rapid patting. "Slow motion like in the movies, every kid understands what that means," says trainer Amy Robinson, whose DVD Drool School teaches dog safety to children.
Be ready. You can also do some advance training to prepare your dog for social interactions. Although children should be told not to pull ears or tail, sometimes they're too quick to stop. So do desensitization exercises with your dog by touching or very gently pulling ears and tail, and then praising him. (Robinson says she doesn't use food rewards for this, so that the dog doesn't see children as a possible source of treats if they touch him in those spots.)
Teach well. Aside from watching out for your dog's comfort level, you may want to be prepared to gently educate. When explaining to children how to approach a dog, see it from their point of view.
"How would you like some strange person to run up to you, squeal, grab your face and give you a big kiss? They get that, they understand that when you put it in those terms," says Robinson.
Don't blame. If you have to say no because your dog's showing a stress-related behavior, take the opportunity to point it out. And on both sides, try to understand that it's not a judgment on the child or on the dog if this just isn't the right moment.
"If the owner says no, that's no reflection on the child's behavior," says Pelar. "That person is not saying that you're not kind to dogs. They're saying that my dog's not comfortable. And that's OK."
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Your dog’s depressed, what do you do?
Humaira Ansari
Saturday, July 12, 2008 03:39 IST
Have you ever been in a situation where your otherwise loving and playful pet dog does a volte-face and starts behaving unusually? This could manifest itself in morose behaviour, constant barking, messing up the house, et al. If so, shouting or punishing him isn’t going to help; it’s possible that your pet is suffering from a mental illness.
And that’s where dog therapists, Shirin and Junaid Merchant, come in. In a city, where people think twice before consulting a counsellor, taking an animal to a dog therapist is often seen as a joke. But through their organisation, Canine Care, the couple conducts activities and workshops where owners are trained to understand the mindset of their dogs. Their training expertise helps owners deal with dogs suffering boredom, aggression, chewing and other compulsive disorders. While Shirin works with one of the world’s most renowned animal behaviourists, John Rogerson, Junaid’s area of expertise is canine obedience.
“To correct a behavioural problem in a dog or any other animal, the first step is to gain an in-depth understanding of the mind of the animal,” says Junaid, who has been in this field for the last 25 years. He admits that people are yet to open their minds to this concept. “People who know of dog therapists still refrain from going to one. They say, ‘My dog doesn’t need a shrink’,” he says wryly.
But their clients can’t stop singing their praises. Behroz Mistry swears by the couple’s innovative methods that helped correct her dog’s behaviour. Recounting her first encounter with Shirin, Behroz says, “I had a problem dog; this was one stray puppy I found in Goa. He used to bark a lot, and was very aggressive.” Having attended a three-month programme with Shirin, Behroz claims to have benefited immensely from the aid and counselling she got. “It not only helped my dog, but also helped me professionally since I am a dog trainer and groomer myself,” she says.
Owners can’t simply drop off their pets with the Merchants and hope that everything will turn out hunky-dory. Owners and pets have to bond with each other under the supervision of the therapist over a series of sessions. Junaid believes that offering psychological advice and treating behavioural problems is very different from training an animal, which is often mechanical. He elaborates: “We talk of training dogs, but look at the street dogs — they are not trained, but they know who will shoo them away, who are their friends, and so on.”
Most of the counselling time is spent not with the dog but with the owners. Justifying the rationale behind this, Junaid says, “The attention span of a dog is usually five minutes, after which it gets distracted. It either wants to play, sleep or just fiddle around. Hence, through interaction with the owner we need to identify and understand the reason for the behavioural change, and then work towards the remedy.”
Canine Care also works with pets whose owners are physically challenged — a concept which though popular in the West, is still in its nascent stage in India. Thanks to Shirin, 29-old Sanam Rabade, who is a paraplegic, and is paralysed waist downwards, now has a trained dog — Magic — to help her. “Magic has really brought magic into my life,” says Sanam. “He opens and shuts doors, can switch on lights, fetches me things like the remote control, et al.” But Sanam has her doubts as to whether such dogs will gain popularity in India. “Our society is not dog-friendly. We don’t have any laws supporting physically challenged people to keep trained dogs. In fact, most public places do not allow dogs,” she says. Junaid, however, feels that there is scope for training dogs in this area, too.
He says, “Dogs are intelligent living beings. To teach a dog, you don’t need force, but healthy interaction and communication.” Dogs communicate with their body. All their emotions, whether they are happy, sad, angry or playful, are expressed through a very distinct body language. The duo helps the owners in the interpretation of their pet’s body language which is of key importance.
The approach and methodology adopted by the couple is not one of fear or force, but through love, positive reinforcement and rewards. According to Juanid, owners need to understand that pets are not simply status symbols. “What people need to realise is that it’s not just about having a pet, but the responsibility and commitment towards it,” he says.
Your pet is like you — there are days where he’ll be moody or depressed. And ignoring him is not going to solve the problem.
www.greatdogtrainer.com
Saturday, July 12, 2008 03:39 IST
Have you ever been in a situation where your otherwise loving and playful pet dog does a volte-face and starts behaving unusually? This could manifest itself in morose behaviour, constant barking, messing up the house, et al. If so, shouting or punishing him isn’t going to help; it’s possible that your pet is suffering from a mental illness.
And that’s where dog therapists, Shirin and Junaid Merchant, come in. In a city, where people think twice before consulting a counsellor, taking an animal to a dog therapist is often seen as a joke. But through their organisation, Canine Care, the couple conducts activities and workshops where owners are trained to understand the mindset of their dogs. Their training expertise helps owners deal with dogs suffering boredom, aggression, chewing and other compulsive disorders. While Shirin works with one of the world’s most renowned animal behaviourists, John Rogerson, Junaid’s area of expertise is canine obedience.
“To correct a behavioural problem in a dog or any other animal, the first step is to gain an in-depth understanding of the mind of the animal,” says Junaid, who has been in this field for the last 25 years. He admits that people are yet to open their minds to this concept. “People who know of dog therapists still refrain from going to one. They say, ‘My dog doesn’t need a shrink’,” he says wryly.
But their clients can’t stop singing their praises. Behroz Mistry swears by the couple’s innovative methods that helped correct her dog’s behaviour. Recounting her first encounter with Shirin, Behroz says, “I had a problem dog; this was one stray puppy I found in Goa. He used to bark a lot, and was very aggressive.” Having attended a three-month programme with Shirin, Behroz claims to have benefited immensely from the aid and counselling she got. “It not only helped my dog, but also helped me professionally since I am a dog trainer and groomer myself,” she says.
Owners can’t simply drop off their pets with the Merchants and hope that everything will turn out hunky-dory. Owners and pets have to bond with each other under the supervision of the therapist over a series of sessions. Junaid believes that offering psychological advice and treating behavioural problems is very different from training an animal, which is often mechanical. He elaborates: “We talk of training dogs, but look at the street dogs — they are not trained, but they know who will shoo them away, who are their friends, and so on.”
Most of the counselling time is spent not with the dog but with the owners. Justifying the rationale behind this, Junaid says, “The attention span of a dog is usually five minutes, after which it gets distracted. It either wants to play, sleep or just fiddle around. Hence, through interaction with the owner we need to identify and understand the reason for the behavioural change, and then work towards the remedy.”
Canine Care also works with pets whose owners are physically challenged — a concept which though popular in the West, is still in its nascent stage in India. Thanks to Shirin, 29-old Sanam Rabade, who is a paraplegic, and is paralysed waist downwards, now has a trained dog — Magic — to help her. “Magic has really brought magic into my life,” says Sanam. “He opens and shuts doors, can switch on lights, fetches me things like the remote control, et al.” But Sanam has her doubts as to whether such dogs will gain popularity in India. “Our society is not dog-friendly. We don’t have any laws supporting physically challenged people to keep trained dogs. In fact, most public places do not allow dogs,” she says. Junaid, however, feels that there is scope for training dogs in this area, too.
He says, “Dogs are intelligent living beings. To teach a dog, you don’t need force, but healthy interaction and communication.” Dogs communicate with their body. All their emotions, whether they are happy, sad, angry or playful, are expressed through a very distinct body language. The duo helps the owners in the interpretation of their pet’s body language which is of key importance.
The approach and methodology adopted by the couple is not one of fear or force, but through love, positive reinforcement and rewards. According to Juanid, owners need to understand that pets are not simply status symbols. “What people need to realise is that it’s not just about having a pet, but the responsibility and commitment towards it,” he says.
Your pet is like you — there are days where he’ll be moody or depressed. And ignoring him is not going to solve the problem.
www.greatdogtrainer.com
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Dogs must prove they can be good citizens
WAPATO -- Princess and Butch are headed to summer school.
If the pit bulls are going to live in this town much longer, they will have to prove they can play nice.
Their owner, Carlos Rodriguez, already believes it. He allows his children, as young as 5, to play unsupervised with the dogs and their four puppies.
Still, Rodriguez, 36, plans to pay for a certified socialization screening and training in order to keep the dogs after Aug. 1, when Wapato's ban on pit bulls, Rottweilers and mastiffs takes effect.
"I'm not getting rid of them," Rodriguez says.
To quell a dangerous dog problem in a city that can't afford an animal control officer, Wapato City Council members on June 18 banned certain breeds they say pose the biggest threat. In the past five months, police have had to shoot six dangerous dogs.
The law imposes a $250 fine. However, owners may keep their dog if it's screened for social skills by a trainer certified by the American Kennel Club.
Wapato is not alone. Yakima, Moxee and Selah also ban pit bulls. Other cities, including Grandview and Prosser, have containment, registration and insurance requirements so strict that few owners find pit bulls worth the trouble.
Nationwide, many cities and counties, and the entire state of Ohio, outlaw pit bulls, according to the American Kennel Club. Tennessee legislators are talking about it, while Pennsylvania lawmakers may remove restrictions that prohibit counties and cities from banning certain breeds.
Still, many experts insist breed-specific bans don't work. The Humane Society of Central Washington, the American Kennel Club, local dog trainers and animal control officers throughout the Valley share the sentiment.
"I don't think that's the solu-tion," says Randy Sutton, animal control officer for Yakima County, which has no bans specific to breed.
"The county treats every dog as an individual," Sutton says.
The critics contend that any breed can bite. Sutton, for example, cites heelers, cocker spaniels and English sheep dogs -- the super fluffy kind seen in Disney movies -- as among the most common biters.
They argue the only thing that breed-specific bans get rid of is good dogs, because they have good owners who follow the law. Bad dog owners, who don't socialize their dogs in the first place, will just hide their vicious dogs.
"You're inflicting legislation on law-abiding citizens," says Daisy Okas, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club, which frequently lobbies against breed-specific legislation.
Breed-specific bans also pose enforcement challenges, putting police officers in the position of trying to identify dog breeds. Even mixes of pit bulls are not allowed in Wapato.
The city of Yakima has banned pit bulls for 21 years and animal control officers still have trouble enforcing it.
"Some people blatantly walk down the street, deny it's a pit bull or act surprised," says Ben Zigan, animal control officer for Yakima.
Wapato Police Chief Richard Sanchez promises to enforce the new ban patiently, case by case. He does not plan to make officers knock on doors or set up dog patrols. Nor does he plan to send his officers to any specialized training.
Sanchez owns a dog that is part pit bull, but he lives outside the city limits.
Some Wapato residents worry that people will just dump their banned dogs, either inside or outside the city limits.
Animal control officers say dog dumping is a problem, but they don't predict a spike because of the ban. There was no such increase when the other cities banned pit bulls, Sutton says. Likewise, the Humane Society does not fear an uptick in surrendered pit bulls because of the ban, says Alan Landvoy, executive director.
Wapato dog owners may not like it, but they appear to be complying.
Jane Bumgardner, owner of Manning Dog Training in Union Gap, has five Wapato dogs on her calendar for Canine Good Citizen screening. She usually has no more than one at a time.
Bumgardner is one of four Yakima Valley trainers certified by the American Kennel Club to administer the social skills test, which involves 10 steps such as letting a stranger pet it and interacting peacefully with other new dogs.
She charges only $10 for the screening, but usually requires that the owners hire her for an hourlong private training at $50 as she gets to know the dog better. It's for her own safety in case the dog really is mean, she says.
Bumgardner also decries breed-specific bans. In fact, she owns two Rottweilers. Her 20-year-old, Guardian, greets customers every day at her dog training business in Union Gap.
One of her customers will be Wapato resident Kim Miranda, who owns a Rottweiler named Butch. Miranda does not know how Butch will handle the training. He's gentle with her, but he barks at many passers-by, especially at night. If he fails the test, she might move out of town rather than give up the dog. Her family is looking at property now.
Even Daniel Garcia, who does not even own a banned dog, does not believe banning pit bulls will keep anyone safer. It's dogs of any breed that get loose that cause the problem, he says.
Wapato elected officials say they feel for dog owners, but needed to do something quickly to solve a problem.
Two of the six dangerous dogs that police officers have shot in the past five months were at least part pit bull; the other four were not identified on police reports.
Public safety comes before dog owners' rights, they argue.
That's true for Juan De La Torre, a councilman who has a pit bull in his own backyard. It belongs to his 17-year-old son, who will comply with the law, De La Torre promises.
"In my agenda, public safety is No. 1," he says. "Even if it hits at home."
If the pit bulls are going to live in this town much longer, they will have to prove they can play nice.
Their owner, Carlos Rodriguez, already believes it. He allows his children, as young as 5, to play unsupervised with the dogs and their four puppies.
Still, Rodriguez, 36, plans to pay for a certified socialization screening and training in order to keep the dogs after Aug. 1, when Wapato's ban on pit bulls, Rottweilers and mastiffs takes effect.
"I'm not getting rid of them," Rodriguez says.
To quell a dangerous dog problem in a city that can't afford an animal control officer, Wapato City Council members on June 18 banned certain breeds they say pose the biggest threat. In the past five months, police have had to shoot six dangerous dogs.
The law imposes a $250 fine. However, owners may keep their dog if it's screened for social skills by a trainer certified by the American Kennel Club.
Wapato is not alone. Yakima, Moxee and Selah also ban pit bulls. Other cities, including Grandview and Prosser, have containment, registration and insurance requirements so strict that few owners find pit bulls worth the trouble.
Nationwide, many cities and counties, and the entire state of Ohio, outlaw pit bulls, according to the American Kennel Club. Tennessee legislators are talking about it, while Pennsylvania lawmakers may remove restrictions that prohibit counties and cities from banning certain breeds.
Still, many experts insist breed-specific bans don't work. The Humane Society of Central Washington, the American Kennel Club, local dog trainers and animal control officers throughout the Valley share the sentiment.
"I don't think that's the solu-tion," says Randy Sutton, animal control officer for Yakima County, which has no bans specific to breed.
"The county treats every dog as an individual," Sutton says.
The critics contend that any breed can bite. Sutton, for example, cites heelers, cocker spaniels and English sheep dogs -- the super fluffy kind seen in Disney movies -- as among the most common biters.
They argue the only thing that breed-specific bans get rid of is good dogs, because they have good owners who follow the law. Bad dog owners, who don't socialize their dogs in the first place, will just hide their vicious dogs.
"You're inflicting legislation on law-abiding citizens," says Daisy Okas, a spokeswoman for the American Kennel Club, which frequently lobbies against breed-specific legislation.
Breed-specific bans also pose enforcement challenges, putting police officers in the position of trying to identify dog breeds. Even mixes of pit bulls are not allowed in Wapato.
The city of Yakima has banned pit bulls for 21 years and animal control officers still have trouble enforcing it.
"Some people blatantly walk down the street, deny it's a pit bull or act surprised," says Ben Zigan, animal control officer for Yakima.
Wapato Police Chief Richard Sanchez promises to enforce the new ban patiently, case by case. He does not plan to make officers knock on doors or set up dog patrols. Nor does he plan to send his officers to any specialized training.
Sanchez owns a dog that is part pit bull, but he lives outside the city limits.
Some Wapato residents worry that people will just dump their banned dogs, either inside or outside the city limits.
Animal control officers say dog dumping is a problem, but they don't predict a spike because of the ban. There was no such increase when the other cities banned pit bulls, Sutton says. Likewise, the Humane Society does not fear an uptick in surrendered pit bulls because of the ban, says Alan Landvoy, executive director.
Wapato dog owners may not like it, but they appear to be complying.
Jane Bumgardner, owner of Manning Dog Training in Union Gap, has five Wapato dogs on her calendar for Canine Good Citizen screening. She usually has no more than one at a time.
Bumgardner is one of four Yakima Valley trainers certified by the American Kennel Club to administer the social skills test, which involves 10 steps such as letting a stranger pet it and interacting peacefully with other new dogs.
She charges only $10 for the screening, but usually requires that the owners hire her for an hourlong private training at $50 as she gets to know the dog better. It's for her own safety in case the dog really is mean, she says.
Bumgardner also decries breed-specific bans. In fact, she owns two Rottweilers. Her 20-year-old, Guardian, greets customers every day at her dog training business in Union Gap.
One of her customers will be Wapato resident Kim Miranda, who owns a Rottweiler named Butch. Miranda does not know how Butch will handle the training. He's gentle with her, but he barks at many passers-by, especially at night. If he fails the test, she might move out of town rather than give up the dog. Her family is looking at property now.
Even Daniel Garcia, who does not even own a banned dog, does not believe banning pit bulls will keep anyone safer. It's dogs of any breed that get loose that cause the problem, he says.
Wapato elected officials say they feel for dog owners, but needed to do something quickly to solve a problem.
Two of the six dangerous dogs that police officers have shot in the past five months were at least part pit bull; the other four were not identified on police reports.
Public safety comes before dog owners' rights, they argue.
That's true for Juan De La Torre, a councilman who has a pit bull in his own backyard. It belongs to his 17-year-old son, who will comply with the law, De La Torre promises.
"In my agenda, public safety is No. 1," he says. "Even if it hits at home."
Tips for travelling with Fido
Be sure to paws frequently to smell the, umm, roses
Elizabeth Payne, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008
When it comes to dogs, the world is divided into two groups: Those who prefer pooches to be seen and not heard, and those who would rather put Aunt Dorothy in a kennel for a week than submit Rover to such an indignity.
Before you head on vacation this summer, be forewarned: The latter group is growing, and that means you will be sure to encounter dogs on your holiday, whether you are staying at a fine hotel or in a remote campground. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends not only how you feel about dogs, but how well-prepared the dog owners you encounter are to take their canine friends on vacation.
That's where Daniela Sodero comes in. The British Columbia-based dog trainer and host of the television show At the End of My Leash travels frequently with her dog Rudy, a schnauzer-poodle mix. He is small enough that he can usually travel in a soft kennel that is carry-on luggage size and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. In fact, that is how he travelled to Eastern Canada where Sodero and Rudy were on a media blitz offering dog owners tips to make travel safer and more pleasant this summer.
Dog trainer and TV host Daniela Sodero's dog, Rudy, is small enough to travel in a soft kennel that is the size of carry-on luggage and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. More and more people are travelling with their dogs.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Dog trainer and TV host Daniela Sodero's dog, Rudy, is small enough to travel in a soft kennel that is the size of carry-on luggage and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. More and more people are travelling with their dogs.
"More and more people are living with dogs ... they are part of the family and they don't want to leave their pooches behind," said Sodero.
At the same time, the world of travel has opened up to dogs dramatically in recent years. Many hotels, including some surprisingly glamorous ones, now accept dogs.
In addition to taking the dog along on a roadtrip to the beach or cottage (make sure dogs are welcome first), there are even trips aimed specifically at dogs and their owners -- from canoe trips in Algonquin Park (Dog Paddling Adventures at www.dogpaddlingadventures.com), to daytrips to Dog Mountain, the St. Johnsbury, Vermont homage to canines by artist Steve Huneck that features a dog chapel, walking trails, a dog pond and lots of doggie art. Dogs are encouraged to take in all the sites. There are also summer camps for people and their dogs and working holidays for dogs, such as sheep herding.
But dogs are also sharing human summer holidays and Ms. Sodero wants to make sure their owners are as prepared as possible.
Keeping your pet healthy requires some thought when travelling.
Heat is the biggest concern. Although it sometimes seems convenient, Ms. Sodero warns that dogs should never be left in the car in the summer. Plan your trip so that you can take your pet with you when you stop for breaks -- if necessary, get a take-out sandwich and eat it in the park. And shaving a dog to keep it cool in the summer can be dangerous, she says. Fur offers shade and some insulation from the heat.
On a road trip, you should stop about every three hours to give your dog a rest and water break. Take a portable water dish in the car and one that fits in your pocket for hikes. Before leaving, exercise your dog well so that he will sleep through much of the trip. There are even doggie anti-nausea drugs available to treat a common ailment of travelling dogs.
If you are crossing into the U.S., make sure your dog's rabies vaccines are up to date and you have a record of his most recent shot.
Travel overseas can be more complicated. Airlines have specific regulations about kennel sizes and large dogs will have to travel in the cargo hold. Some countries require dogs to be quarantined. Check with airlines and embassies.
And ask questions when you are booking a dog-friendly hotel room. Some hotels charge an extra fee. Some require dogs to be kenneled in the room and others will not allow dogs to be left alone in the room.
When you arrive at your destination, you will also encounter various levels of dog accessibility. In Calgary, Ms. Sodero says, Rudy can travel on the transit system for the price of an adult fare. In Toronto, taxis have to accept a fare -- even with a dog, she says -- but they may require you to keep the dog in a kennel.
Travel with a dog requires research and, even then, you may have to adjust your plans to accommodate your furry friend. But growing numbers of dog owners wouldn't have it any other way.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Elizabeth Payne, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Saturday, July 12, 2008
When it comes to dogs, the world is divided into two groups: Those who prefer pooches to be seen and not heard, and those who would rather put Aunt Dorothy in a kennel for a week than submit Rover to such an indignity.
Before you head on vacation this summer, be forewarned: The latter group is growing, and that means you will be sure to encounter dogs on your holiday, whether you are staying at a fine hotel or in a remote campground. Whether that is a good thing or a bad thing depends not only how you feel about dogs, but how well-prepared the dog owners you encounter are to take their canine friends on vacation.
That's where Daniela Sodero comes in. The British Columbia-based dog trainer and host of the television show At the End of My Leash travels frequently with her dog Rudy, a schnauzer-poodle mix. He is small enough that he can usually travel in a soft kennel that is carry-on luggage size and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. In fact, that is how he travelled to Eastern Canada where Sodero and Rudy were on a media blitz offering dog owners tips to make travel safer and more pleasant this summer.
Dog trainer and TV host Daniela Sodero's dog, Rudy, is small enough to travel in a soft kennel that is the size of carry-on luggage and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. More and more people are travelling with their dogs.View Larger Image View Larger Image
Dog trainer and TV host Daniela Sodero's dog, Rudy, is small enough to travel in a soft kennel that is the size of carry-on luggage and, when she flies, can be placed under the seat. More and more people are travelling with their dogs.
"More and more people are living with dogs ... they are part of the family and they don't want to leave their pooches behind," said Sodero.
At the same time, the world of travel has opened up to dogs dramatically in recent years. Many hotels, including some surprisingly glamorous ones, now accept dogs.
In addition to taking the dog along on a roadtrip to the beach or cottage (make sure dogs are welcome first), there are even trips aimed specifically at dogs and their owners -- from canoe trips in Algonquin Park (Dog Paddling Adventures at www.dogpaddlingadventures.com), to daytrips to Dog Mountain, the St. Johnsbury, Vermont homage to canines by artist Steve Huneck that features a dog chapel, walking trails, a dog pond and lots of doggie art. Dogs are encouraged to take in all the sites. There are also summer camps for people and their dogs and working holidays for dogs, such as sheep herding.
But dogs are also sharing human summer holidays and Ms. Sodero wants to make sure their owners are as prepared as possible.
Keeping your pet healthy requires some thought when travelling.
Heat is the biggest concern. Although it sometimes seems convenient, Ms. Sodero warns that dogs should never be left in the car in the summer. Plan your trip so that you can take your pet with you when you stop for breaks -- if necessary, get a take-out sandwich and eat it in the park. And shaving a dog to keep it cool in the summer can be dangerous, she says. Fur offers shade and some insulation from the heat.
On a road trip, you should stop about every three hours to give your dog a rest and water break. Take a portable water dish in the car and one that fits in your pocket for hikes. Before leaving, exercise your dog well so that he will sleep through much of the trip. There are even doggie anti-nausea drugs available to treat a common ailment of travelling dogs.
If you are crossing into the U.S., make sure your dog's rabies vaccines are up to date and you have a record of his most recent shot.
Travel overseas can be more complicated. Airlines have specific regulations about kennel sizes and large dogs will have to travel in the cargo hold. Some countries require dogs to be quarantined. Check with airlines and embassies.
And ask questions when you are booking a dog-friendly hotel room. Some hotels charge an extra fee. Some require dogs to be kenneled in the room and others will not allow dogs to be left alone in the room.
When you arrive at your destination, you will also encounter various levels of dog accessibility. In Calgary, Ms. Sodero says, Rudy can travel on the transit system for the price of an adult fare. In Toronto, taxis have to accept a fare -- even with a dog, she says -- but they may require you to keep the dog in a kennel.
Travel with a dog requires research and, even then, you may have to adjust your plans to accommodate your furry friend. But growing numbers of dog owners wouldn't have it any other way.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2008
Friday, July 11, 2008
Dog's new trick: finding inmates' cellphones
Dog's new trick: finding inmates' cellphones
 Sgt. David Brosky, a Maryland corrections officer, stands by as his dog Alba inspects a computer monitor that contains a cellphone. , (Dan Morse/Washington Post) |
THE WASHINGTON POST
We could all use one from time to time: a dog that can find the darn cellphone.
Maryland has three. Their job is to sniff out phones smuggled into prisons.
"Seek," Sgt. David Brosky told his dog Alba this week, offering a public demonstration at the former Maryland House of Correction in Jessup.
Alba made her way through an unoccupied prison cell until she came upon a rolled-up pair of jeans on a bed. She sat, a signal she had found something.
"Good girrrrrrrrrrl," said Brosky, a corrections officer, handing the dog a ball, a reward for finding the black cellphone tucked in the pants.
The state's trained dogs -- Tazz and Rudd, along with Alba -- could be the solution to a problem facing prison administrators nationwide, a solution taking hold in the Washington region.
Smuggled cellphones allow inmates to run criminal enterprises, threaten witnesses and warn fellow inmates about the movements of correctional officers, state officials said.
"Cellphones are perhaps the worst type of contraband," Gary D. Maynard, Maryland's secretary of public safety and correctional services, said. "In most cases, they provide an easy, continuing connection back to the inmate's life on the street."
As cellphones have become smaller, they have become easier to hide. They are smuggled into prisons by inmates on work-release programs, visiting family members, contractors working in the facilities and corrections officers, state officials said. In some cases, phones have been tossed over fences to prisoners, officials said.
Inmates don't just use the phones; they trade and sell them, sometimes for as much as $350.
The three Maryland dogs have been trained to smell cellphones using techniques employed to teach dogs to smell drugs. It isn't clear which parts of phones the dogs detect, but the animals probably take in a combination of odors from various sections, said Maj. Peter Anderson, who heads up the state's K-9 operations for prisons.
It's harder for dogs to detect cellphones than marijuana, Anderson said. But it was clear that Alba and Tazz (Rudd didn't participate) were up to the challenge.
The dogs were asked to find phones more than a half-dozen times and failed only once to find their target in 30 seconds. At one point, Alba, a Belgian malinois, passed small TVs and a VCR before stopping at a TV that had a cellphone inside.
In the past year, the Virginia prison system has had six dogs trained to detect cellphones. "It seems to work very well for us so far," said Larry Traylor, a spokesman for the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Virginia hired a California dog-training company, All States K-9 Detection. The owner, Harlen "Lamb" Lambert, said "everybody wants to know" how to train the dogs. It's a secret he's not about to give away, he said.
Lambert said inmates have been known to conceal phones in jars of peanut butter and wrap them in waterproof plastic and submerge them in toilets, two tricks he said do not fool dogs he has trained. Lambert said he has trained 11 dogs, including Virginia's, and is training 13 others.
This month, the D.C. Department of Corrections plans to have Maryland officials train its drug-finding dogs to sniff out cellphones. "No matter how long it takes, we're going to get proficiency on this," said Devon Brown, director of the department.
Anderson said he had heard about cellphone-sniffing dogs in Great Britain and figured he could train dogs himself. He started in April.
Tazz, a male springer spaniel, was trained first, because of his history of skilled drug work. He was trained with a variety of phones. After two weeks, Anderson said he thought to himself, "This is doable."
Anderson predicted that the use of such dogs will become more popular.
"I think every state will be doing this in a short time," he said.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Sniffer dog checks bite into our civil liberties...
- The Guardian,
- Wednesday July 9, 2008
- Article history
The use of police sniffer dogs is largely unregulated, says Sebastian Saville. Photograph: Martin Godwin
One day last month I arrived at Camden Town tube station, north London, on my way to attend meetings about developing some new drug treatment initiatives. At the top of the escalators, I found the way barred by a number of police officers and a dog. I strode past them, only to hear the dog bark loudly.
I was approached by two officers and informed that I had been selected for a search by the dog. As if trying to elicit, without caution, some sort of confession from me, I was asked if I was aware of any reason why the dog should have selected me. I replied: "No more reason than if he'd selected you."
Although tempted to refuse to be searched and see what would follow, I consented as I had meetings scheduled. I was then ushered into the stairwell, where many searches were taking place. I observed the legs of a man sticking out from behind a corner - they were thrashing as if he was having some sort of seizure. I mentioned this to the two officers and they said it was being taken care of. I was patted down and my pockets were emptied; they contained nothing illegal. They did, however, contain a wallet, credit cards, driving licence and car keys - the insignia of respectability.
With the search coming to an end, the male officer observed to his colleague that there was no need to do a PNC on me. The term refers to a check of the Police National Computer, on which criminal records are stored.
When I asked, they confirmed that they were looking for small amounts of cannabis. I counted at least 12 police officers inside the station and there were more outside. I asked how long the operation (code name Perish) was to go on for, and was told about five or six hours.
These on-the-spot checks are becoming a familiar tactic to those of us who use the capital's public transport system, but its encroachment on our receding civil liberties is considerable. For one thing, the technique of placing a sniffer dog at the top of an escalator constitutes "funnelling", and is contrary to the Association of Chief Police Officers' dog training guidelines.
These guidelines are the only source of information regarding the use of sniffer dogs. There is no legislation that allows the use of such dogs, and parliament has never debated the validity of such techniques. It is largely an unregulated area of police detection. Release, in conjunction with Amber Marks, author of Headspace: On the Trail of Sniffer Dogs, will soon be publishing detection cards, advising people of their rights in such encounters.
When I returned to the office, I telephoned Marks to ask her if it could have been the packet of black peppercorns in my pocket that triggered the dog's reaction. "Don't make the mistake of assuming there is any good reason for the dog's indication," she told me. In Australia, 74% of people searched as a result of dog indications are found not to have any drugs on them.
More broadly, one must call into question the point of exercises such as this. Is this an effective use of 12-15 police officers for half a day? Or is it an easy way of meeting performance targets?
Big dealers are unlikely to use public transport. Even the local small-time cannabis dealers in Camden must surely be aware of these operations. The objective may be to prevent drug use, but the drug trade is resilient to such measures. The real casualty is our freedom to go about our business in the city without unwarranted harassment.
· Sebastian Saville is executive director of drugs charity Release.
Train your dog to be calm in time for the Fourth of July...
Dog trainer Denise Mullenix allows Browser to sniff small fireworks to help desensitize him to their smell and sound.
But while Reid coped with the stress of a hospital room, he couldn’t handle fireworks.
“We were staying at a place by a beach where the fireworks were going on,” said O’Dierno of Portland, Ore. “He went nuts and hid behind chairs.”
The situation repeated itself at other celebrations until O’Dierno realized that her dog had a fireworks phobia: “His eyes would pop open, and you could see the fear when the fireworks go off.”
Experts haven’t figured out why some pets are sensitive to fireworks, but some think the smell of gunpowder may add to jitters caused by loud explosions.
Cesar Milan, trainer and host of the National Geographic Channel’s “Dog Whisperer” show, says getting a dog ready for fireworks can take months.
At Behave Canine Solutions, a company that offers dog-training classes in the Portland area, dogs in the Puppy Preschool program spend a day training for fireworks. The process involves integrating sound, smells and displays into fun activities such as playing or eating.
“What a dog is or isn’t exposed to, especially in the first 16 weeks, can affect their behaviors for the rest of their lives,” said trainer Denise Mullenix. The class moves puppies to different stations that play sounds of fireworks, expose them to smoke balls and burning charcoal, and bring them near sparklers and bright flashes.
Each step, Mullenix said, is designed to “minimize stress and anxiety in situations of exposure to fireworks.”
Owners can also train their dogs at home. Milan plays recordings of fireworks at a low volume during an activity that the dog enjoys.
Continue introducing sounds of explosions for several weeks, increasing the volume with time.
“Involve the sound into positive activities such as eating, at a low sound, or walking with your dog, so the dog becomes familiar with the sound while doing an activity that he enjoys,” Milan said.
The dog is conditioned when it stops exhibiting signs of anxiety and it’s comfortable when the recording can be played loudly, said Pam Reid, who works with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to educate pet owners and professionals.
If owners don’t have months for training, veterinarian Robert Raider says other help is available. Take the pet for a checkup at least a week before the big day, and then return to the vet for sedatives if the dog is given a clean bill of health.
Some experts consider sedatives a last resort. But those who own anxious pets shouldn’t hesitate.
If owners find themselves unprepared on the holiday, they should forget the fireworks and concentrate on the dog, Milan said. If you’re in a park or an open area, keep the dog calm by remaining calm yourself.
Reid suggests getting the dog indoors as quickly as possible. If you drove, get into your car and sit with the dog.
“Get them to calm down, then mask the noise. Turn on the air conditioning or the radio,” Reid said.
If you’re indoors when the dog panics, Reid suggests giving it a hollow chew toy filled with processed cheese or peanut butter. “Some dogs are OK as long as they have something to lick or chew,” she said, likening the effect to a baby’s sedation from pacifiers.
On past Fourths, Milan said, he in-line skates with his dogs or takes them backpacking. He suggests doing an activity the pet will enjoy: Let the dog have its day.
“Anything that can involve relaxation and fun, because that’s what you want the dog to learn,” Milan said. “Relax and have fun on the Fourth of July. That’s what people do, right? They relax and they have fun.”
Ridding your pets, home of fleas!
HOUSTON -- Summertime brings more than just the heat -- especially for pet owners.
The summer season is also Houston's flea season. But battling the pesky insects will prove harder than first meets the eye.
“People think they're covered by just killing the adult fleas, but that's only five percent of the flea population,” said Tonia Whilden, a dog trainer and owner of the Houston Dog Ranch. “So, if you see five fleas, you can guarantee there are 50 flea eggs.”
Whilden suggests that pet owners use a monthly topical treatment, but then check to make sure it works.
Even after using flea controls such as Advantix, pet owners need to be on the lookout. A trip to the dog park could bring back even more fleas into your home.
If that happens, you have to check your carpet and use sprays designed to kill the fleas. Still, it could be up to three months before they are gone.
A quick way to check if the fleas are still around is to wear white socks.
Still, even if you think they are gone for good, keep checking your pet, your carpets and yourself.
Does your dog really want to be pet by strange kids?
“Can I pet your dog?”
Most of us want to say yes. A good neighbor lets children pet his dog, right?
“People want to be nice,” says Colleen Pelar, dog trainer and author of “Living with Kids and Dogs... Without Losing Your Mind.” “But by being nice to people, we’re sometimes not nice to our dogs.”
Many people don’t recognize the subtle signs of stress in dog body language. You may not realize that your dog tolerates being petted by strangers, but does not enjoy it.
“If we don’t see that, we’re going to be blindsided on the day that’s more stressful, when four kids come over and your dog snaps,” says Pelar.
There’s certainly no need to panic about the odds of a dog bite. In her book “Dogs Bite But Balloons and Slippers are More Dangerous,” trainer Janis Bradley gives statistics showing that more emergency room visits can be attributed to accidents with furniture or footwear than interactions with dogs.
But no matter how small the chance is – no matter if it’s just a snap and not even a scratch – you know how bad you’d feel if it was your dog. So follow a few simple rules, and understand some basic elements of canine body language.
Most kids know to ask the owner if it’s OK. But, Pelar emphasizes,“Then you have to ask the dog.” Some experts suggest having the child putting out a closed fist or a hand with palm upraised, others say just stand there. But all agree: Let the dog decide whether to approach the child. Don’t hold a dog still in your lap for petting, and respect the dog’s decision if it turns away or moves behind the owner.
If the dog does approach, observe the body language. Don’t concentrate on the tail, it can be hard to read. Pelar says, “I tell people that if they’re looking at the tail, they’re watching the wrong end of the dog.” Instead, the mouth can give a lot of clues. A dog that’s licking lips, panting excessively, or yawning, is showing that he’s not comfortable. These are oral self-soothing behaviors much like sucking your thumb, says Pelar. In contrast – opposite of the common maternal fear of the teeth showing – if the dog’s mouth is open, that’s a sign that it’s relaxed.
Pet a dog under the chin or along the neck or side, not the top of the head. Pelar explains this to children by saying, “Avoid the sensitive eyes and ears.” This is easy to understand, and the result is that they avoid the blind spot on the top of the dog’s head.
Encourage children to pet slowly, rather than rapid patting. “Slow motion like in the movies, every kid understands what that means,” says trainer Amy Robinson, whose DVD “Drool School” teaches dog safety to children.
You can also do some advance training to prepare your dog for social interactions. Although children should be told not to pull ears or tail, sometimes they’re too quick to stop. So do desensitization exercises with your dog by touching or very gently pulling ears and tail, and then praising him. (Robinson says she doesn’t use food rewards for this, so that the dog doesn’t see children as a possible source of treats if they touch him in those spots.)
Aside from watching out for your dog’s comfort level, you may want to be prepared to gently educate. When explaining to children how to approach a dog, see it from their point of view. “How would you like some strange person to run up to you, squeal, grab your face and give you a big kiss? They get that, they understand that when you put it in those terms,” says Robinson.
If you have to say no because your dog’s showing a stress-related behavior, take the opportunity to point it out. And on both sides, try to understand that it’s not a judgment on the child or on the dog if this just isn’t the right moment. “If the owner says no, that’s no reflection on the child’s behavior,” says Pelar. “That person is not saying that you’re not kind to dogs. They’re saying that my dog’s not comfortable. And that’s OK.”
The Dog Whisperer’ methods work on human leaders of the pack, too!
Cesar Millan and his dog, Daddy.
But some viewers think the techniques the dog trainer shares in his show and books might apply to leadership in the office. Or the family. And that’s OK, Millan says.
“We are pack-oriented. That’s why we get along so well with horses and dogs,” Millan explains, noting that he estimates 20 percent of the people who attend his dog-training seminars are psychologists or psychiatrists.
“Everything we create is based on the pack. The president is a pack leader. The CEO is a pack leader. The pope. The Dalai Lama. Oprah Winfrey. I get letters from political people, saying how this concept is so helpful, and from parents, also, who say, ‘I wish I knew calm-assertive before I had kids.’ ”
Calm-assertive is Millan’s prime management message. A calm-assertive leader is relaxed, but confident that he or she is always in control, he writes in his first book, Cesar’s Way (Harmony Books, 2006).
It’s a simple enough concept to grasp, but the execution can be tough, even for a cool customer like Winfrey, his friend and client.
Millan says the media mogul is a prime example of a calm-assertive leader when she’s dealing with her huge, human pack — even-tempered, powerful, always in charge. But when it came to her cocker spaniel, Sophie, not so much.
When the shy little dog would show her teeth to other dogs in a defensive manner, Winfrey would scoop her out of harm’s way and soothe her, effectively affirming the bad behavior.
Winfrey had to learn to correct the dog’s bad behaviors when they occurred and to provide boundaries and guidance, to help her become a calm-submissive pack member that was relaxed and open to suggestion.
In short, Winfrey needed to be the type of leader with her dog that she is with her fans and employees.
“Animals are looking for balance, and many humans are looking for balance, but they get distracted and go into another direction,” Millan says.
When out of balance, both humans and canines may feel tense, frustrated and nervous, and that’s limiting, he says.
“You have to take responsibility and stop blaming everything around you and become the most powerful person you can become,” he says.
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