Warm weather, cars and dogs do not go well together. Dogs can get very sick from heat exhaustion if left in a warm car and can die of heat stroke. The weather doesn’t even need to be that hot for it to be dangerous for our dogs to be left inside a car. If it’s a “cool” 22 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can soar up to 47 degrees.

Dogs do not sweat to keep cool, they pant. Leaving a window open will most likely not prevent a dog from overheating. It may allow for some fresh air, but the dog can still overheat and die. If you must leave your dog in the car momentarily, keep the car running.

A few years ago, my former neighbour left her beautiful dog in her car while she ran a quick errand. When she came back to her car, her dog was gone. Someone had called the Humane Society and they had taken the dog.  My neighbour had no idea that her dog was in danger. She was only going to leave her dog in the car for a few minutes…. The person who called for help probably saved that precious dog’s life.

To help a dog who is overheated, you should drench him in cold water, offer it small drinks of water and take it to a vet.

DID YOU KNOW? Dark coloured dogs tend to be more intolerant to the heat?

If you’re curious about the agenda and think you might like to check it out, the details are now on the website: www.apdt.com

We learn so much at these conferences and always come back with new ways to do things. No matter what your line of work is, continuing education is so very important. Who wants to be a dinosaur? Not me!

I’m taking a break from “vegging out” to share with you something I just read in the VegNews magazine. I never thought that dogs could be vegan too, but apparently, it is possible! V-dogs is a new 100% Vegan dog food that has no corn, no soy, no GMO… though it does contain brewer’s yeast, which I prefer not to see in dog food. What about protein, you ask? It contains 24% plant-based protein. Created by vegans, this is an animal-free, cruelty-free dog food.

From their website (http://v-dog.com/)

“Our first commitment is to the health of Dogs and we’ve done our research – Dogs are truly omnivorous animals that will thrive on a high-protein nutritious balanced plant-based formula. Our second commitment is to minimize our contribution to Global Depletion. With an estimated 80 million dogs in the USA alone, a vegan dog, like a vegan human, leaves a much smaller paw print on our environment for reasons outlined on our website & eco-friendly packaging.”

I’ve recently gone Vegan, and have never felt better, but didn’t even know it was possible for dogs to be vegan. My dogs have been on a raw diet (as in raw meat and bones) for at least 4 years now and love it. I will not feed them processed dog food, full of fillers and “pink slime”, but can dogs thrive on a “vet approved” vegan diet?

I’m all for leaving a smaller footprint on the planet, and eating a vegan diet means that I am reducing my carbon footprint by 2 tons a year. Imagine what it would mean to switch my dogs and cat to a plant-based diet!  It is very appealing indeed.

Would you try it?

The agenda is packed with interesting options that make it so very hard to choose which session to attend. http://www.apdt.com/conf/agenda/default.aspx

I expect this conference to be inspiring and can’t wait to meet motivating trainers and learn from the cream of the crop.

http://www.ottawa-woman.com/

]]> http://blog.ottawak9school.com/2012/04/21/barking-3/feed/ 0 ottawak9school http://blog.ottawak9school.com/2012/03/23/fridays-what-would-you-do-grooming-salon-edition/ http://blog.ottawak9school.com/2012/03/23/fridays-what-would-you-do-grooming-salon-edition/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:24:07 +0000 Chanters http://blog.ottawak9school.com/?p=715 Continue reading →]]> Here’s the scenario. I am taking both of my dogs to the Grooming Salon. As we pull into the parking lot, it is clear that Everest recognizes where we are. He is not happy. Reluctantly, both Hemi and Everest follow me inside the building and into the very small waiting room. The groomer takes Hemi into the back first. Everest is now getting anxious as he knows he is next. Even though he is well behaved at the Grooming Salon it doesn’t mean that he likes it.

A lady and her Chihuahua enter the building. She sees Everest and decides to pick up her dog before coming into the teeny tiny waiting room. Everest is not showing too much interest in meeting this dog (it’s called avoidance). He is air sniffing, but probably more concerned about being at the Salon than worrying about his social life.

What happens next is a shocking reminder that there is the need to get a message out there. Chihuahua lady (sorry, I didn’t have time to get her name) approaches us and bends down to place her dog in my dog’s face. Freeze frame.

What is she thinking? Probably something like: ”Oh, he seems like a good dog. This could be a new friend for my dog. Here you go Chihuahua: a Friend!”

What is Everest thinking? The doggy version of ”Hey, I’m trying to mind my own business over here. Why is this strange dog and his owner looming over me? Is she really going to put that dog in my face? Can’t they see that I’m backed into a corner, not happy and getting more and more anxious? Where are his legs, by the way?”

What is the Chihuahua thinking? ”I am trapped! I am forced into a strange dog’s face who obviously has no interest in meeting me. I know I’m cute, but I may be forced to bite since I have NO OTHER OPTIONS, unless I just go limp and play dead.”

What was I thinking? I didn’t sit back and wait for this to play out. I instantly recognized that this could turn into a bad situation, so I told Chihuahua Lady ”That’s really not a good idea”. She backed up right away, obviously thinking that my dog was aggressive. I told her he wasn’t, and she actually took a step closer to us. I really wanted her to understand WHY it wasn’t a good idea. I explained that not only do the dogs NOT know each other, mine is not comfortable being here, which increases the risk of the meeting not going well. I also explained how in doggy language, direct nose to nose greeting is not a good idea, especially when it is forced.

I think she thought I was overreacting, and perhaps rude. Perhaps, as she learns more about dogs and their behaviour she will recognize that any potential unwanted situation between the dogs was averted. She will also realize that her attempting to put her dog in my dog’s face was rude. And, if the stars are aligned, she may have the insight to see that since Everest was not going to eloquently as her to back off, I had to step in quickly with a clear message.

If you are reading this blog quickly and just want to get to the BOTTOM LINE. Here it is. Please read carefully:

1. Do not pick up your dog and put it in another dog’s face, especially if the dog is a stranger to you.

2. Do not, while holding your dog and putting it in a dog’s face, bend down and also put your face in the stranger’s dog’s face. This is called looming and dog’s find it very threatening.

3. Do not do #1. and # 2.,  particularly when a dog is backed into a corner, in a stressful environment.

4. If you are tempted to do #1 or #2, you should at the very least ask the dog’s owner if it is friendly and if your dogs can meet. Even after doing that, do not expect things to go well.

Yesterday, I received the APDT Chronicle and was so excited to see a preview of the 2012 line-up!  I just have to share the news:

The Keynote Speaker is Susannah Chaleson, PhD. She is the author of Scent of the Missing – Love & Partnership with a Search and Rescue Dog.

Pia Silvani will be offering a workshop on Kids and Canines. Gail Fisher will be leading a Hands-On workshop on Loose Leash Walking.

If you are interested in building & maintaining your business Web Site or Improving and Modernizing your Web Site, Chris Lee will be hosting an Inter-Active Workshop on those topics.

Interested in elephants, sea lions, rhinos and penguins? There is also the option to go to the Cincinnati Zoo for Field Study.

The Ottawa Canine School staff is excited about the 2012 APDT conference and looking forward to going on a Road Trip!

Why Dogs Bark and What to do About it

Although dogs do not speak, they do have a wide array of communication skills. They whine, howl, whimper, cry, yodel, scream, snarl and growl. Some even bay.  If you are a dog owner, your faithful companion most likely uses its ability to bark to communicate with you, unless, of course, you have a Basenji Hound, otherwise known as the “barkless” dog.

The authors of The Perfect Puppy, Benjamin and Lynette Hart, have taken the time to make a chart ranking dog breeds from the least offensive barkers to the most offensive barkers. The breeds that ranked as most likely to bark when they should not be barking are Miniature Schnauzers, Yorkshire Terriers, Cairn Terriers, Fox Terriers, Beagles and West Highland Terrier.

Some breeds, according to the Harts’ Chart, are much less likely to bark inappropriately, like the Akita, the Rottweiler, the Malamute and… the Great Dane. But don’t believe everything you read. Great Danes do bark when they shouldn’t and I can prove it. I have one. There has to be a better word than “bark” to describe what Hemingway does. It is more like a deep vocal blast that can be heard and felt by the whole neighborhood. Dogs hear very well, but Hemi must have super powers. He hears EVERYTHING. His ears are attuned to anything that sounds like a doorbell. A “ping”, whether it be from the computer or the sound a spoon makes against a bowl can trigger his barking. He can be curled up in a small ball, snoring away but then wake up just to bark at something he heard.

What can you do about excessive and often irritating barking?  The first step is to determine why your dog is barking (no, it is not part of a master plan to get revenge). Once you’ve determined the cause, you are better able to control the behavior.   Barking generally falls into five different categories.

Boredom barking happens when a dog is left alone often and doesn’t get enough exercise or mental stimulation. Boredom barkers might bark just to hear the sound of their own voice and to release excess energy. For under stimulated dogs, barking has become a fun activity to do.  Dogs are like kids. If you don’t give them something exciting to do, they entertain themselves—often in ways we don’t appreciate. So, step up the doggie workouts and get out the puzzles. There are countless ways to add enrichment to your dog’s life.

Separation anxiety barking is characterized by constant home-alone barking usually coupled with other behaviors such as house soiling, visible anxiety upon departure and arrival, and destruction around doors and windows. If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, barking is a symptom of the underlying anxiety, which is what needs to be addressed.  Call a professional right away if you think your dog suffers from separation anxiety.

Barrier frustration barking often comes with posturing such as snarling or baring of teeth. This type of barking is most seen in dogs left in a backyard too long, dogs in cars, or dogs on leash that would be perfectly comfortable with whatever they are barking at (most often other dogs) if they were off leash.

If your dog is very social, have him spend more time playing with other dogs and less time barking behind a barrier. Not-so-social dogs first need to learn to enjoy other dogs. In the meantime, avoid unsupervised time in the yard or car. In either case, always give your dog a treat when he sees another dog but can’t say hi.

Demand barking occurs in dogs that have learned that barking gets them what they want—balls thrown, doors opened, dinner, or attention. To curb demand barking, immediately stop rewarding the barking. Ignore your dog or walk away when he barks. Pick times when he is quiet, tell him “Nice quiet” and pet or treat him. If your dog barks when you work at the computer or talk on the phone, preempt his behavior. Settle him in his crate or on his bed with a toy or stuffed Kong before you sit down to work.

Demand barking is the simplest type of barking to fix. Dogs do what works.  If barking for attention no longer works, they will no longer do it. Though the solution is simple, it is not necessarily easy. It may require a lot of patience on your part.

Watchdog barking is triggered by sights and sounds such as passersby, slamming car doors, or a cat on the lawn. Watchdog barkers were sentries in a previous life. Teach your dog to respond to noises by getting a toy or barking once, then coming to find you. Keep blinds closed and don’t put your dog’s bed or his confinement area anywhere near a window or bay door. Crating your dog can be a great way to signal to him that he can take time off from his patrol duties. My dog Everest is a great watchdog. He has been taught to warn once or twice, and then to stop. We certainly don`t mind the discreet alert that someone is walking up our driveway. I can also tell, by his bark, if it is someone we know or if it is a stranger. A “wooo wooo!” is someone he knows and loves.  Watchdog barking is not something that I want to fix. I like having dogs that guard the house and alert me to anything suspicious. It is certainly a more effective deterrent than our alarm system.

As for Hemingway and his eardrum busting, earth shattering WOOFS, training him has been a big project requiring a lot of patience, exercise,   kindness, and love. Our hard work is paying off. Every day I am seeing a more polite and calmer dog.  When we tell him “No Bark”, he now understands and will stop barking. He also loves to grab a toy or shoe and walk around with it as an alternative to barking. We may have difficulty finding our shoes some days, but at least our eardrums are intact.

Articles cover a variety of topics like health, nutrition, finance, fitness, pets and more!

I’m a proud contributor. You can read my article on motivation online.

If you do read the article, please note that a small editing error has been made in the 2nd paragraph. It is written that when I first started training, I used to train with food (implying that I no longer do). The original paragraph stated that in my early years of training, I did not believe in using food in training. I now believe that dogs must work for something and that food can be a great motivator/ reinforcer.