BANDIT

BANDIT is a beautiful Brittany Spaniel mix, probably just one or two-years-old and he weighs 43-pounds. A kind shelter worker fell in love with him and took him home to foster in order to save him. She tells us he's great with other dogs, kids, and cats, and he's housebroken. BANDIT is very playful, loves toys, and especially loves to play fetch.



UPDATE: Due to a birth defect and subsequent severe trauma to his right front leg, BANDIT's bad leg has recently required amputation. He is recovering well, and we will have updates soon. We have placed three-legged dogs before, and they are having long and happy lives, just like their four-legged companions!

LEWIS

LEWIS is in NH and is an AMAZING, WONDERFUL boy!! He arrived on Saturday, and is settling into his foster home (we took him there ourselves today and fell totally in love!). This fellow loves people (snuggles in for cuddles), quickly becomes a pack member with other dogs, is fine with cats, rides well in the car, and is housebroken!! About four-years-old and 43-pounds, LEWIS will be the perfect companion for some lucky family

LEWIS fully expects to lead this race. Handsome and confident, he is running full-tilt to the finish line.

CORKY

We've rescued a lot of adorable, sweet dogs, but CORKY is right at the top of our "favorites" list! About 7-months-old and 30-pounds, CORKY was adopted as a wee pup and recently returned only because the family is moving! Totally vetted (the vet has suggested she thinks the fuzziness in his coat could be some Keeshond mix!?), he's ready to come to NH. CORKY is housebroken, absolutely loves kids, is okay with cats, and has personality plus!

CORGY is in this race to win. Help him keep in front of the pack by making a contribution! He is racing against Bandit and Lewis to get the most donations.

Debunking the Dominance Myth

By: Laura Chapman, Miss Behavior

For decades, the idea of dominance and dependence on establishing yourself as the alpha by forcing dogs into submission through alpha rolls, choke collars, and other aggressive methods has existed. With this mentality, there is an assumption whenever a dog does something inappropriate, whether pulling on leash, jumping on people, or going through the door first, that the dog is trying to prove his rank. In more recent years, with the emergence of popular television shows focusing on these dog training methods, this theory has erupted into the homes of dogs everywhere and despite the disclaimers and advice to consult a professional, everyone is trying bits and pieces of these methods without looking at the big picture. Let’s look at the definition of dominance.

Dominance is defined as a relationship between individual animals that is established by force/aggression and submission, to determine who has priority access to multiple resources such as food, preferred resting spots, and mates. A dominant-submissive relationship does not exist until one party consistently submits or defers. The problem with the dog-guardian population is that most issues that come up with our companion dogs are not related to priority access of a resource. Jumping on people, pulling on the leash, and running through the door first are not about access to resources but rather about something that has been reinforced in the past or something that the dog has not been taught not to do. Remember that dogs do what works. If you stay in that mindset, you can change a lot of your dog’s behaviors.

Let’s look at leash pulling as an example. Dogs pull on leash because it works. It gets them to where they want to go and it’s usually the fastest way of getting there. We follow. They see another dog and try to pull you all the way there and you follow. What’s the reward? Seeing, sniffing, and maybe playing with the other dog. It’s not about them plotting your demise and trying to be your alpha. It’s about the fact that we have allowed the pulling or not taught them otherwise. For a lot of dogs, pulling also feels good so it’s very self-rewarding. It gives them the exercise they may otherwise not be getting, and dogs are built with a reflex (the opposition reflex) in which they brace or pull against your pressure, the very reason why harnesses often cause more pulling.

Using this mentality, let’s look at jumping on people. Again, they are not plotting their demise and thinking to themselves “ooo, there is a new person coming in the house – watch this, I will jump on her and show her who’s boss!”. No, rather it’s something that has been rewarded in the past so it continues. The dog jumps, the stranger coming in the house inadvertently rewards it but saying “oh, its ok, I don’t mind”, pets the dog or pushes him off (also rewarding), and the cycle continues. And, like pulling on leash, a lot of dogs enjoy jumping.

Remember that age-old adage that aggression begets aggression. Using aggressive tendencies to show your dog who’s boss, such as rolling him on his back, yelling at him, getting in his face, depending on a pinch, choke collar, or e-collar to make your message clear… that’s not good leadership. However, it is a great way to make your dog more frustrated, more fearful, and possibly more aggressive.

Good leadership is clear and consistent. There are clear rules and boundaries. It is non-confrontational. Think about a good boss at work. It’s not the in-your-face type. It’s the type that gives you enough freedom to use your skills and personality as an asset to the company while also giving you those clear and consistent rules and boundaries to follow. Think about a good parent. It’s the same idea. There should be consequences for inappropriate behavior, but the consequences do not need to be physical. The rules should be consistent. You should have fun, and laugh, and play too. Create a positive bond, rather than using intimidation tactics. Work with and not against personality types, accepting your children (whether 2 or 4-legged) for who they are.

Most importantly, if you are having behavior problems with your dogs, consult a professional. Seek help from someone who works on behalf of your dog and teaches you how to find that common ground.

KIDS AND DOGS

CREATING HARMONY AND FRIENDSHIP TO LAST A LIFETIME

What do you picture when you think about kids and dogs? Do you picture a Lassie-like relationship, where the dog watches over the child, keeps him safe, teaches him responsibility, and plays ball until they both collapse and curl up together in exhaustion? Or do you picture a dog who nips at the child’s pants, knocks the child over when he walks in the door, and chews his favorite toys to pieces?

The reality of it is that the majority of households these days are dealing with the latter. While dogs certainly can be a child’s best friend, it often takes a lot of work, patience, consistency, and understanding. Kids can be a dog’s best friend or it’s most feared enemy. In this article, I’m going to tackle some misconceptions about the relationship between kids and dogs, as well as some solutions you can execute at home to start down the road of controlling the chaos and creating a beautiful friendship between both your 2-legged and 4-legged children.

Misconception #1: My dog doesn’t mind my child climbing all over him, riding on his back, and tugging his tail. The truth is, there are many dogs who will tolerate this up to a certain point, but no dog enjoys this. I don’t know many people who love to have their hair pulled, to be poked at incessantly, or climbed all over either. Every dog has a threshold of tolerance and patience, and while some have higher thresholds than others, every dog has his limits. Watch your dog’s body language – lip licking, yawning, avoiding eye contact… those are all signs of stress that most people aren’t aware of. In addition to how your own dog feels about this, children need to be taught that it’s inappropriate to climb all over dogs because while your dog may have a high tolerance for this, your friends dog may not – and this can really set your child up for a bad situation.

Misconception #2: I’m thinking about getting a puppy for my children because I want the puppy to grow up with my children and I want to give my children the experience of raising a puppy. OK, this one isn’t the worst I’ve heard but if you are thinking about adding a dog to your family, I would highly suggest that you consider all options. The truth is, puppies are equivalent to adding another child to your family! If you aren’t ready to raise another child, then I would think twice about adding a puppy to the mix. Puppies need to learn house training, self control, house rules. They need to be watched constantly. They nip and chase and very often bark. They need consistent rules and they need someone to not only tell them what not to do, but they need people to show them what is appropriate. They need to be proactively taught good manners, not something to assume they can just learn over time. The right adult dogs tend to have a lot more self control, they are calmer, more tolerant, and often house trained. Of course, you want to be sure you choose the right adult dog, one who is used to children, is actually house trained, and is properly matched to the dynamics of your family. If you choose the right dog, you will do yourself a big favor of not bringing the equivalent of another infant/toddler into your home and you will save a life in rescuing.

Misconception #3: I already have a dog and am about to give birth. I haven’t done anything special to prepare my dog but I’m sure he will get used to the little one over time. This one is huge and could take up an entire article on it’s own! Bringing a baby into a previously adult-only household is a huge change that your dog will need to cope with. If your dog has any fear issues, reactive issues, jumps, barks often, has no house boundaries – you are setting yourself and your dog up for a potentially dangerous and chaotic situation. Jumping dogs can knock you over or trip you while carrying the baby. Crying is something dogs often don’t tolerate easily, crawling is a new body position, walking toddlers can easily be knocked down, kids who throw toys can be scary for dogs, and I could go on and on. It’s very important that you prepare your dog for the arrival of a baby. There are many resources out there for doing so, a few of which I will list at the end of this article.

A few of the many important things to teach your dog:
Go to Kennel: The dog MUST have a safe place to go and ideally, it should be a place where he doesn’t feel like he always has to watch his back. A bed isn’t ideal as a safe place because it’s not as secure. He needs somewhere where he won’t be bothered by the kids so no, the kids should absolutely not crawl into the crate with the dog!

During meal time, the dog should either be given a stuffed Kong and sent to his crate or be taught to stay out of the dining room/kitchen, living room at that time. Having a dog underfoot where your children are eating very quickly creates a begging dog, a dog who steals food right out of the child’s hands, not to mention a child who knows how to get away with not eating his veggies!

No Jumping: This is a big safety concern when kids are involved so it’s definitely worth teaching yours kids how to react to a jumping dog (walk away or freeze and ignore). If the dog is too worked up to respond appropriately to this, that’s when it’s your job to jump in and remove your dog.

Kids should always be taught not to tease the dog, pull his tail, hit him in frustration, and never approach the dog when he is eating or when he has a bone. If your dog guards objects, it’s imperative that you seek the help of a Certified Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist. This is a very dangerous habit for dogs to have when he lives with children.

Because children are unpredictable and often innocently and occasionally forget some of the rules, it’s important that you use management to give your dog a safe place to escape to. Seek the help of a professional right away if you see any dangerous behaviors develop, and stay consistent to both your dogs and your children about the rules of their relationship and the rules of the house.

With the proper management, training and relationship building, a dog truly can be a child’s best friend!

Further resources:
Living with Kids and Dogs Without Losing Your Mind, Colleen Pelar
Dogs and Storks Program: http://www.dogsandstorks.com/
To locate a Certified Trainer and Behavior Specialist near you… www.apdt.com

PARENTING YOUR DOG

by Laura Chapman, Miss Behavior

Have you ever thought of your dog as your 4-legged child? Well, you’re not alone. According to statistics compiled by Petfinder, nine in ten pet owners surveyed say they consider their pet a member of the family and 63% of dog owners said they give their pets presents at Christmas. January is national Dog Training month and with that, I thought it would be appropriate to speak on behalf of your dog.

Our pets are our family – there’s no question about that. And just like your children, your dogs have their own needs too. They need structure. They need guidance. They need consistency. Education, understanding, patience, TLC, rules, boundaries… I could go on and on. Dogs need you to “parent” them, to guide them, to show them what’s acceptable and what isn’t. Unlike human children though, you can’t talk through a problem with them and reason with them. You need to be proactive in their education and show them through body language and verbal markers, what is good and what isn’t.

Like your children, dogs need schooling. They need proper education. Unlike children, dogs don’t generalize knowledge well so they need YOU to go to school with them. You need to bring the knowledge home and continue their education through practice, consistency, and patience! Dogs also need socialization, especially when young. They need to learn how to appropriately interact with others. This doesn’t mean that they should always be part of a free for all – they need your guidance in socialization, especially as they turn into adolescents and tend to make poor choices. Not only do they need the guidance to interact appropriately with their own kind but they need to learn proper interaction with humans too.

Here are some lessons that your dog is expected to learn:

1. Humans don’t want to be pummeled, hugged, or kissed to death. They have personal bubbles. At least get to know them first.

2. Self control will get you far in life. No human wants to go ice, snow, or pavement-skating without the proper equipment.

3. If a human does something you don’t like, your feelings are okay. But don’t bite them. It’s not socially acceptable.

4. You don’t need to love every other dog you meet, but you should learn to tolerate them, especially from a distance.

5. You don’t need to get the last word in. Tell your human that someone’s lurking outside or that you have a visitor but once you’ve gotten your message across, leave it be. Job well done, note the word done.

5. Those 2-legged fast moving, screeching, sometimes stinky sort-of-human-like creatures that often show up at home and get bigger by the day? The same rules apply to them that apply to the life-size humans. Except that you will need to learn to tolerate them sitting on you, stepping on you, riding you, and pulling your tail. I know, it’s very unfair but until humans learn just how unfair it really is, you will be expected to just take it.

6. The jibber-jabber that you see coming from the human mouth? That’s their version of barking. It’s how they communicate. Listen up and learn what they want. I know it doesn’t make much sense but give it a try.

7. If all else fails, show your belly.

As your dog’s parent, you are not expected to know how to teach these lessons. Just like most people aren’t properly equipped to home-school, you probably aren’t properly equipped to know the ins and outs of dog behavior, how to read it, how to properly teach it, or how to problem solve it. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And as a final piece of advice, do your research! You have a choice as to where to school your dog. Do you want your “child” getting a slap on the wrist for bad behavior or a gold star for good behavior? Parent your dog.

GOOD DOG INFORMATION ON THE WEB

These sites are recommended by Dr. Sue Haley of Kindness Animal Hospital and board member of Canine Guardians for Life, Inc.

There are thousands of websites which claim to provide information for animal companions to properly care for their non-human family members. And, as the saying goes, you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the prince. This is true of websites as well. Dr. Haley weeds through lots of websites suggested by her clients and has chosen some great sites that are truly helpful. Keep them handy and pass them on.

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/  This is the public section of the veterinary information network (VIN) which is a veterinarian only website sharing cases and information. You can find out lots of info about your pet's health. This Dr. Sue's favorite site!

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp : The good old Merck manual has been around for 50 years. Has basic information on most species of farm and pet animals.

http://www.vetinfo.com/ This is the Ask a Vet site and there is a charge for your questions, which is not recommended. Your money would be better spent one on one with your veterinarian. However there are many good and free articles on the site.

http://www.petplace.com/ This site may require a sign in and although there are  lots of ads, there are also lots of good articles
.
http://www.petconnection.com/  This is the online home of "Good Morning America" resident veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, award-winning pet-care writer Gina Spadafori, and a team of pet-care experts”.

http://www.toothvet.ca/dentalcare.html information on dental care and toothbrushing techniques.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/poison-control/ This is THE place to go for basic information on poisons.

http://www.petloss.com/  and www.pet-loss.net/  are good sites to help deal with pet loss.

http://www.petswelcome.com/  This site provides information on hotels, bed and breakfasts, and inns that welcome people with pets.

http://www.dogfriendly.com/  This site provides suggestions for places you can take your dog. Looking for a dog-friendly beach, restaurant, park, or campground? You can find that kind of information here.

We'll add more websites as we find them and we'll let you know on our newsletter when new websites are added. Remember to visit your veterinarian for any medical issues, but use these sites to educate yourself and to gain some insight into the world of animals. If you find any sites you love, let us know and, after we review them, we may add them to our list of Best Dog Sites on the Web!