World Trainer's Transparency Challenge

It's been a while! Things have been super busy with us getting the building ready, but I have something that I feel is super important to share.

I'm part of the World Trainer's Transparency Challenge. Now, you may wonder just what the heck that is, so let me give you some information. The challenge was created by Jean Donaldson. In an attempt to make the dog training consumers aware of what we're really saying and to make it dog owner friendly, she gave us three questions to answer.

Here is Lili Chin's graphic that showed the questions:

This graphic has been now circulating around Facebook with the captions of "Always ask questions" but the posts are missing the most important part...and that is the answers to the questions. I see so many sharing it who are trainers but there are no answers posted as well.

So, here are my answers and these answers go for everyone here at Peace, Light & Love For Dogs.

1) What exactly will happen to my dog if my dog gets it right?

Depending on if it's a new skill or a skill already known depends on what happens. Your dog may just get a click and a small treat. Your dog may get a click, or YES!, and a party thrown. There will be rewards and those rewards may range from treats, playing a game of tug, a frolic and sniff, playtime with a toy, or some serious lovings. It really depends on what your dog enjoys most. And, we will always work with our clients to find out what motivates them to learn the best.

2) What exactly will happen to my dog if my dog gets it wrong?

Well, nothing will happen TO your dog. We have a strict no punishment rule. We will NEVER hit your dog, harm your dog or punish your dog. We use only kind and humane methods. Now, what will happen is we will stop and try to figure out why your dog isn't "getting it". We will look at several questions: "Are we moving too fast for the dog?" "Is the dog being overloaded with distractions?" "Is there something wrong with the way we're asking the dog to perform the cue?" Simply stated, if your dog isn't getting it, then WE are doing something wrong...not the dog and we want to always set up dogs to succeed so we will work at finding out where it went wrong.

3) Are there less invasive/aversice alternative to what you propose?

We have not found them yet if there is so our answer is "NO!" Now, as our clients always are told, we are always learning more as science and behavior becomes more mainstream so if there is a less invasive way, we will gladly work towards using that!

There you have it. This is our answers for the questions Jean posed to us. We are very happy to take part of this. I feel transparency in everything we do is important. There is no smoke or mirrors, no expensive collar, or some magic to what we do. What we do is simple. We want to work with your dogs capabilities to learn and help enrich the owner/dog bond.

As always, we look forward to seeing your dog and you out and about or even just in your yard. And yes, always ask questions and get references from potential dog trainers before you even let them near your dog!

Aha moments and when management fails

Today has been a crazy day!

I ran all over the place searching for a possibly extremely injured dog and came up empty. The dog wandered into one of my clients yard where their dog was on his tie out. The dogs had an altercation and the strange dog ran off. I went on the hunt for the injured dog because temperatures are high and the land is pretty dry right now. Sadly, I never found the injured dog. I did check on my client's dog and he will be sore and has some gashes but overall he was in good spirits and was acting very normal by the time I stopped by.

There is a lesson to be learned here: NEVER let your dog out of your home unleashed and unattended! Accidents do happen though and I will get to more of that in a moment.

The other HUGE thing that happened today was one of my clients has a beautiful German Shepherd. He is a great dog; he loves children, isn't phased by a whole lot and he's terrified of getting into vehicles. Yep, it's a huge drawback when you want to take the kids and dog to the park and the park is all the way across town. He is a large German Shepherd too. The husband can lift him (for now since he's still a puppy) but the wife can not. So, in the last 12 sessions one of our major things we have worked on was getting in the car.

Up until today, it was still a no go. He was NOT getting in there unless he was picked up and sat on the seat. So, imagine our surprise when we were outside working on Canine Good Citizen testing and he hopped in the front seat of the car because the door was open. He got a TON of praise and played with for this! He hopped out and hopped right back in. Suddenly he figured out the game. "I jump in and I get love and attention and played with!" We repeated this several more times and needless to say he enjoyed the hot dog he got for his efforts!

Dogs have "AHA" moments. It's when the lightbulb flicks on and something amazing happens. I've seen it time and time again. In order to stop bad behavior I teach incompatible behaviors. Dog jumps? I teach the owners to have the dog down when someone comes in the door. You'll notice I don't say "I teach the dog". Why? Because I don't teach the dogs. I teach owners to work with their dogs. An owner who puts the work in like the family with the German Shepherd will see payoffs and it's more rewarding when the owners have it happen than when I do.

Now, I want to talk about Management. I have always thrived on management. My house is extremely managed because of Greyson. I have to watch who he interacts with because of him being reactive. When I got home from my client sessions I was still on a high from the car and the German Shepherd. As I got out of the car I was dancing along and realized I lost a $20 bill somewhere. I ran in the house and started going through my stuff to see if I dropped it into my bag.

One slip of not paying attention (and I'm very attentive in my house to what is going on around me) and I didn't notice the black dog walking out the back door. I shut the door behind me as I tossed my bag down to go through it. Once again, not noticing that I didn't have a dog jumping around me and going crazy because I wasn't paying attention! It only took a second for Greyson to waltz out the door.

I am lucky my deck has gates that Greyson can't get out of but what would have happened if someone had stole him? I know, it wasn't but a minute but see my point? If I didn't have that area secured Greyson could have escaped, been running and I wouldn't have realized it. Yes, accidents happen but it is our responsibility to set our dogs up for success every single time. It only takes a tiny slip of paying attention and a dog who is extremely reactive to humans and animals could have become a liability very quickly.

I've always heard "Management always fails at some point" and I've seen that a lot lately. People who have two dogs on crate and rotate having it fail and catastrophic damage to their dogs happening. People who always keep their dogs muzzled having an off leash dog confront them and their dog getting their muzzle off and almost getting out of their harness. We can only manage so much before it comes to the point of being a danger. Where do we draw the line? I really have no answer to that but I know it's something I need to start thinking more about.

In closing, I'm SUPER proud of my clients and all their hard work has paid off. I know it's frustrating when a dog can't do something that you want them to but I was able to give them options and through sheer determination and positive work their dog pulled it off!

 Syn and Jelani when they graduated basic obedience!

Wedding bells and 18 hours in a car

So, a week ago Kayla and I packed our bags and headed to the land of Cleve. Otherwise known as Cleveland, Ohio. Also known as place I used to spend my misspent youth. Cleveland houses Pit Bull Zen and we were given a chance to take some classes, spend time with friends and their dogs and get some much needed vacation time in. So we drove 9 hours to my parents and crashed for a couple hours before heading into town to walk with the Pit Bull Zen.

Zen walks are always magical for me. I see dogs who are normally scared or shy transform and walk along proudly or in my case calmly with the people and dogs. The last time I walked my own dog, Greyson, it started off a little rocky (he paw slapped a blind dog in the face) and then walked next to the same dog with no problems. There's a reason walks are a "no leash greetings" zone.

This walk was magical for me for another reason though. Her name is Polly. I know her foster mom through Facebook. Hope has done amazing things with Polly and while Polly still has a ways to go, they took a chance and came to the walk. Now, Polly has never met me. She is still very nervous around new people but this was the end result of our meeting.

 Yep, that is a Polly on a leash with me holding it and the leash is loose. When we would start getting too close to the other dogs she would shy away and start to move in the other direction. I would stop, let her sniff and happily say "Let's go!" and off we would go again. She only started eating my treats at the end when we were all wore out and sitting in the grass. 

And here we are sitting in the grass! And look, there is another dog, Inara, within feet from us and Polly is too tired to care. (That and the turkey sausage that I lured her with.) So yes, the Pit Bull Zen walks are magical. And, you can read Polly's journey by visiting her mom's blog! 

So, in two days we saw dogs, worked with dogs, learned from Laurie Schlossnagle with Side By Side Dog Training, did some PBZ accounting, Kayla got to attend CLASS with Calvin (who wilted like the delicate flower he is from the heat), and saw two new PhD's for CLASS earned. Oh, and we drove 18 hours in there somewhere. Was a whirlwind weekend. Lots was learned, lots was done, and the best part of the weekend for me was meeting this guy...

BonZai!! Bonzai was one of the "27" who were taken into custody when they were found in Collin Rand's home in December of 2011. He was adopted by my friend Sandy Smith and while she fostered him for Pitty Love Rescue, Sandy fell in love and became a foster failure. I can't blame her after meeting him. He climbed right into my lap and licked me and licked me. I didn't mind one bit. When I went to thank Sandy for loving him I started to tear up. Watching his progress from a far has been amazing. He has made leaps and bounds. Sandy has used Positive Reinforcement with him and Bonzai had no problem welcoming Kayla and I into his home and showing us love while we loved on him. Again, thank you Sandy for loving him! And thank you Cleveland Police Department for acting on a tip! 

Well, the weekend was over and we came home safe and sound. While we were in Cleveland though Kayla decided that it was finally time to get married to her fiance of quite a while. Kayla's pit mix, Cupcake, was one of the first reactive dogs other than Greyson I worked with. I still remember meeting them in the park and we were just going to walk our dogs and see how it went. I couldn't get within eyesight of Cupcake without the lunging and barking happening. In the past year I've watched an amazing transformation happen. 

Through positive reinforcement and BAT, we were able to have Cupcake at Kayla's wedding. A dog who in the past was so human reactive you would think she was trying to eat your face off was able to flip on her back and ask for belly rubs from the guests. Her trigger which has always been males, no problem! Teenagers who normally terrifies her, no problem! Kayla has busted her butt working with Cupcake and following every crazy idea I've thrown at her and this is the result...

In the middle of the park, surrounded by strangers and things that have always been her triggers, she was calm and she was excellent. (I'm sure Kayla would appreciate if I mentioned the black lab, Sasha, has always suffered from Mange and skin allergies. She has been having a flare up and she looks 100 times better than she had in the past.)

I have to say I'm highly impressed with Kayla's drive to succeed with not just her own dogs. Kayla also finds feral kittens and brings them home, socializes them, gets them spayed and neutered and then finds them wonderful and amazing homes. It was suggested on my Facebook page that this was a wedding for a dog and a cat. Nope, Kayla just happens to give her heart to every animal she helps. While I can't bring another animal in my home because of Greyson's reactivity Kayla makes up for that by seeking out the feral strays in her area. AND she starts classes shortly with Dognostics for Professional Dog Training. Kudos to you Kayla and ignore the people who just want to rain on your parade. 

In closing I leave you a picture of Greyson. Greyson doesn't play well with most people but this picture means a lot to me. A reactive dog taking his toy to a child to ask for play. This is a first for Greyson. And while I am proud, I am still vigilant as any parent should be with a dog and a child.

No, Uh uh, Tsch, Nah, and all those fun things

Lately I'm seeing an epidemic. It's dogs who are behaving badly because they have no clue what their owners are asking them for. It's the dogs who jump. It's the dogs who mouth. It's the dogs who run around like a spastic chicken while the owner stands there makes a noise that is supposed to mean no.

And here's the kicker....when did anyone EVER teach a dog what those things mean? I mean really, what is the purpose of all these weird things that you are raising your voice at your dog for? It makes you feel better, right? You feel by saying at the top of your lungs "UH UH" that Fido might possibly stop what he's doing because you are being firm. Here's a thought...maybe Fido stops what he's doing because he thinks you're out of your mind? Or you might be scaring the crap out of him with these odd things.

So, in the last few months, I've come up with a solution! And it's a fun one too. The conversation goes like this:

Me: Give me one word, a fun word that everyone in your family can remember.

Client (Well, it was their 4 year old actually): Pork Chop!

Me: Okay, here's the deal. Every single time you want to say "No" or make a sound like "Uh uh" you get to say that word. So, when Fido is doing something you don't want him to, take a deep breath and quietly say "pork chop".

Client: **baffled look"" We aren't supposed to yell at our dog is what you're telling us?

Me: BINGO! (Thank goodness the dog's name wasn't Bingo!)

It gets the point across though. Even yelling "pork chop" at the top of their lungs basically has the same effect as "No", "Uh huh", "Tsch", "No no no no". I'm just giving owners an opportunity to see the futile attempt at using the words to train a dog. In most cases the family sticks with the process of replacing the "no" word and they end up having fun with it. The family in my example actually used "Pork Chop" for the kids and everything. It's hard to be upset when you are giggling at the ridiculousness of it.

The best way to get your dog to stop doing something you don't want them to? Train incompatible behaviors. Dog jumps all over people when they come in? Train the dog to sit and get treats. Dog barks at the doorbell? Train the dog to go a room when the doorbell rings. (This one is especially handy if you teach them the doorbell means to kennel up.)

I recently assessed a dog who seemed very out of control. Within a few minutes I had him sitting at my feet calmly and taking treats as I clicked for good behavior. When I first got there, the person who was handling the dog would ask the dog to sit. "Can you sit?" and when the dog wouldn't sit she would "UH UH" really loudly and harshly. This sends very mixed signals to the dog. I like to keep all training very upbeat and even when I'm not training, I like to still use praise and rewards for capturing good behavior. Greyson laying down on the floor next to the couch still to this day can get a "Good boy! Good down!" even though he knows what "down" is and he knows he's a good boy, it's the playing of the lottery to get rewarded. Even if it's just a verbal praise!

Now, this is not to say I'm perfect. I lose my cool at times. I've been known to yell. There have been plenty of "What in the world are you doing?"s come out of my mouth. The idea is that you don't want to be constantly sending those mixed signals to your dog. Sooner or later, Fido isn't going to know if he's coming or going and that's normally when I get the phone call.

So always keep it upbeat, positive, and remember, you can't yell "NO" at your dog if you're giggling because you agreed to say "pork chop" instead.

My Peace, Light and Love

It's been a roller coaster for the last two weeks. I was called as a vet recommendation to help a family who had their dogs taken. I've only met the vet once and it was as I was searching for a pit bull who had been stolen and the owner was trying to get her back. That was last fall and that little girl is back in her home.

I am always amazed at how people who have never really met me come into my life and on our journey together we come out as friends. When I started this journey I expected to make a difference in the dog's lives, but I am quickly learning that it's the humans I impact the most. To have a vet's office refer to me as the pit bull lady, well, I'll gladly accept that title.

But, back to the roller coaster. Two dogs who were cherished family members were being taken away from everything they knew and sadly I saw the emotional breakdown that causes in dogs. Dogs grieve, they love deeply and they can be confused by what is going on in their world.

I'm thrilled that I am able to say the day shined a little brighter for those two dogs as tonight they are in their home where they belong and will be sleeping in warm beds with their humans rather than on cold concrete. They don't have to stare at a door wondering what they did so wrong that they were cast out into a pen. Nope, they are all snuggled together and are a family again.

This last two weeks have been constant phone conversations, checking laws and mainly seeing that the dogs were as comfortable as possible. My role isn't always about just how to have a well behaved dog. Sometimes it's about what an owner can expect from the laws and what they can do to stay within the realm of the law. And sometimes I'm just there for strength. I tend to hold it together and then come home and hug Greyson as tight as possible. Luckily I have a dog who demands hugs and understands while I may have to be someone else's rock, my husband and him are my rock.

My hope is that in time I have a fully functional consulting business on matters like this. That is why on Monday I start classes for my behavior certificate. While it may cut into my time available for assessments and day to day training, I even have taken care of that. I've started teaching someone to do training for me. She is starting her classes shortly to be able to gain her certificate as a professional dog trainer. She's one of the few people I trust with Greyson. We met on a freezing day and since then our paths have been intertwined.

I should mention that her pit bull, Cupcake is my Greyson's playmate. While Greyson doesn't normally play well with others he has found a kindred spirit in Cupcake.

The picture is Greyson and Cupcake working together with Kayla. This was from Cupcake's first birthday.

In the beginning...

A lot of times people ask how this crazy life has become mine. So here it is...meet my crew.

In 2006 I got married to my best friend. We moved shortly after to his hometown of Jacksonville. It's a great little town in central Illinois. After much talk we decided to adopt. We went to a rescue facility in Springfield and roamed room to room. Deciding we didn't know what we want I sat in the floor of the kitten room. This thin black cat came out of her basket, licked my arm, curled into the littlest ball and went to sleep. Sold!!

Her name was Blackberry and she was very shy and scared. The entire way home we tried out different names. We stuck on Yusa. We're both huge into Japanese culture and it fit her.

Yusa adapted quickly to our lives. Her only flaw was when left alone she would sit and claw at herself. People terrify her but since our home was quiet she was happy as long as we were home. (I should mention that Yusa was attacked by something larger than her as a baby. She was 6 months old when we got her but she has scars under her fur around her ribcage of claw marks and she was front declawed.)

In 2007, when I had taken Yusa to her vet checkup he noticed her patchy fur, cut marks from digging and her outright fear of anyone who isn't familiar to her. So we discussed when she wounds herself and narrowed it down to Yusa has anxiety. Fabulous, my cat is crazy. Well, least that's what went through my head!

The vet had a plan though. If we got her a playmate who was younger then she could bond with it and it would help alleviate some of her anxiety. And, of course, he had just the one for us. Enter, Princess Isabella.

Now, I should have known within the first five seconds of meeting this little girl, I was cruising for disaster. The receptionist brings out a tiny 4 week old screaming and swiping calico kitten. She instantly attached herself to my sweater and swiped at my husband's face and connected. After her set of shots we brought her home. She was still screaming her little head off.

We let her meet Yusa and needless to say, Yusa was not impressed. Bella, as we have always called her, quickly became my husband's cat. She would perch like a parrot on his shoulder and hug up against his neck.

Sadly we learned Bella was found by our vet when she was approximately 4 days old. The receptionist bottle fed her and amazingly she lived. Bella though is not the healthiest of cats. From being bottle fed she never got important nutrition from her mother. She also lacks the understanding of how to be a cat. Then there's the small issue of she is pretty feral. Yep, of all the cats I could have picked, I pick the feral cat.

While Yusa and Bella didn't outwardly get along, oftentimes I would come home and find them.curled up together. Bella had gotten much larger than Yusa and become the bully. We often had to seperate then to keep Yusa from being injured since they would often fight.

We were pretty content with what we lovingly called "The girls", but there was still something missing. In January of 2011 I got a phone call from a friend. On her porch that morning was two puppies. Fearing they had been abandoned she called me. I went over and checked them out. They were sweet puppies and we checked around and they were reported missing.

The next day I went to the pound to see if the puppies had been reclaimed and they had. While I was in the back a lady came in and was checking out the dogs. We started talking and after explaining I was looking for a young puppy so The Girls could adapt she explained she had a litter at her rescue.

We met Abner, Baylean, and Bodean that weekend. Abner was small and outgoing, Baylean was pretty but she wasn't quite what we were looking for (we honestly had no idea what we were looking for) and then there was Bodean who was trying to hide in the back of the crate. His siblings were beautiful but there was something about him that just screamed "I'm your new dog!" We picked the dog terrified of us and named him after Dick Grayson, Robin from Batman. I just happened to misspell it on his adoption form.

When we got Greyson home, he was terrified of our cats. He was convinced he couldn't be away from me and he whined a lot!! Somedays I look at this peaceful being in my lap and am amazed since he was a hot mess when we got him.

Grey over the last two years has been a great learning process. Actually all three of them have been for us. I have spent countless hours cleaning up Yusa cuts from where she still to this day harms herself. Bella gets extremely ill once a year with upper respiratory infection. And then there is Grey. Somedays he thinks he's a cat. Somedays he thinks he's a dog. One day he will figure it out.

I'm thankful to have seen all three grow and blossom. We love them dearly. And they make our days fuller and brighter. Now that I've said that I'm sure I'll have to break up a cat fight shortly.

The picture is Yusa stretching out on her back in my arms.

Gates, Crates and Automobiles

Easter -- The time for family gatherings and good cheer is upon us. For some of us though that can be very stressful. If you have a dog like mine who tends to not like social gatherings then you may have your hands full. Today I'd like to talk options.

So, what do you do if your dog is an ass in general and you have a large family gathering going on? I know I've talked about this with some of my clients and I wonder who it's more stressful for, the dog, or their humans.

First off, please don't feel like you can't socialize as a normal human because of your dog's social needs. This can actually be a way to meet new and interesting people. I have made a ton of friends just because Greyson while being cute and fluffy, he sparks an interesting conversation when I ask humans to not reach down to pet him and instead let him come to them.

Now, without further ado...my list of options.

1) Crates! If your dog loves his crate, take it with you! Going to Grandma's? Ask her where a nice calm spot is that you can put Fido's crate so that he can chew on his tasty Kong that you packed.

As always with crates, never ever use it as punishment. Never yell at Fido and shove him in a crate. We want crates to be a place of calm and peacefulness. It should be your dog's safe place.

2) Gates! Gates are my best friend. Having a dog who destroys himself in a panic attack in a crate has caused gates to be my wonderful friend. If you get the wooden baby gates they are light and pack flat in a car. This way you can take Fido with you and just put up gates. Please, make sure you are gating Fido somewhere safe and where he won't get into anything dangerous.

3) Last, but never least...the car. There has been a lot of time we have avoided conflict by either staying in the car or quickly getting back in the car. Sometimes we just need a moment to regroup and decompress. The car comes in handy for that.

So, remember, no matter where you are use things to your advantage. I can't tell you the number of times I've ran up on someone's porch just to get Greyson out of a bad situation. And luckily, most people know us on sight and don't ask what in the world we are doing.

This picture is Greyson and I revisiting the people who took a chance on a litter of pups and took the whole lot of them to the vet. Who would have known my shy scared little boy would be wagging his entire body in excited glee to greet all of them. His litter was the Christmas Miracle pups and he truly is my miracle.

Do or Do Not, There is no Try

Goals...do you make them with your dog in mind? I remember one of the best pieces of advice I was ever given was "Go home, make a list of what you want to be able to do with your dog. Make an entire list. They can be anything short term, long term, what you want to do tomorrow with him or a year from now. Write them all down." I did just that. The list was rather short. 

• Pass Obedience 101.
• Be able to go in the car without being puked on.
• Be able to walk in the park.

I went back to class and showed them to the trainer. She giggled and told me to please take the lesson seriously. I thought I had. I made goals. I did what she asked. Well, okay so I didn't put a lot of thought into it. I looked at Greyson as being defective and that was how I was writing the goal list. Shame on me. Shame on me for not believing he was capable of more than just walking in a park. 

“[Luke:] I can’t believe it. [Yoda:] That is why you fail.”

Have faith in yourself, in your dog and really reach for the stars. If I wrote that list today, over a year later, I'm pretty sure it would be a totally different list. In fact I know it would be. It would probably be a page and a half long. And now I know that Grey is capable of some very amazing things. 

See, it's all about putting what your dog is capable into perspective. By looking at short term goals and long term goals you have solid points you can cross off. They can be as simple as my "Be able to walk in the park" or as wild as "Gain a title as a champion trick dog". What I'm saying most though is, don't cut your dog short. Your dog is only limited by what you are capable of teaching him or her. Nowhere does it say you have to leave your house to gain a trick dog title. Nope, you can do that right from your living room! And if you think I'm kidding, I can explain further on how. 

The biggest lesson I learned though was to not cut Greyson short just by thinking he wasn't capable of things. I still remember how on a Pit Bull Zen Pack Walk I almost cried. Here we were, surrounded by dogs and other owners and Grey was just cruising along. Right next to other dogs and not a problem! People passing him on bikes, roller blades, people with their dogs and no problem! He did get tangled in his leash once and face planted but that was MY fault and not his. Here was my crazy, reactive dog and he was just being a dog, enjoying a great walk and was so exhausted afterwards he slept the entire way back to my parent's house. I was one proud mom! Granted he did introduce himself to another dog by slamming his paws into their face (AND that dog was blind) but the other dog just took it in stride and even spent a good amount of time walking with Greyson. He made me one proud Mommy ..and probably people thought I was crazy cause normally he just is a hot ball of mess with new people.

So, in short, make goals. Make them anything you want to. They don't have to be done in the next week, month or even a year from now. Now, take that list, and pin it to the fridge. You will be amazed at how quickly you start checking off those goals. Just keep at it. Keep working with your dog and see how many you can check off the list. 

And, while we're at it, here is some of the stuff on our list. :) 

Pass Obedience 101.
Be able to go in the car without being puked on.
Be able to walk in the park.
Go on a play date 
Learn focus protocol
Go an entire week without climbing into bed before morning.
Be able to complete day 15 of relaxation protocol in public.
Use focus protocol in public when necessary.
Learn 5 new tricks.
Learn 10 new tricks.
Pass CGC test.
Be left alone for 4 hours without dragging out my pajama pants.
Attend a party.
Attend a BBQ outside.
Attend a training clinic.

You get the idea...it's about making lists and then every chance you get to cross one off do it! Now, go make a list of goals and be as wild as you want to be! You never know what you'll be able to accomplish! 

Radio shows, fundraisers, and a two hour roadtrip being lost

This morning I was on WQNA with the Flyover zone show. I met Hugh and Lana at an art show I was showing last month. My shirts tend to catch attention which is a great ice breaker.
The question I get asked all the time is "Pit Bull Zen? Isn't that an oxymoron? " Well, today I got to answer that and more on air.
I was nervous and scared to death. I took my good friend and former client (she's the mom to Cupcake) Kayla with me. I needed moral support and possibly someone to push me in the studio. Face it, facing a room of pit bulls with behavior issues makes me less scared than the human population! Humans...scary breed, I swear!
Anyway, on the way there I caught the promo for me and was squealing in delight! "Dee Goings, jewelry artist and dog trainer will be on shortly. We have three words for you...Pit Bull Zen!" Since I've started this path, it still gives me butterflies in my stomach every time I hear my name and dog trainer in the same sentence.
The big question was what is Pit Bull Zen. Zen isn't just force free training. It's also about what I can give the breed. It's about showing true breed ambassadors and taking this breed that has been vilified by the media and showing what they are capable of into the community and showing people well trained, loyal, and loving dogs. These dogs are loyal and have been so mistreated and a true disservice has been done them by humans. Humans fight them, over breed them and don't rightly train them as they should. A dog untrained and I mean ANY dog is capable of being dangerous.
In short, I am Zen. The dogs are Zen. We are Zen together through humane, force-free training and we are Zen to each other. That to me is the definition of Pit Bull Zen.
Pit Bull Zen, created in Cleveland by Dawn Streator and Liz Wyant has become a haven for Pit Bull owners, dog advocates, and dog trainers alike. It is a community where we can discuss intelligent conversations as well as ask for help. Dawn and Liz hold a myriad of great classes and I suggest anyone within driving distance check them out.
Hugh, the host of The Flyover Zone brought up the fact that he is scared of dogs. He was attacked by a German Shepherd and has always avoided dogs since. The dog he was attacked by was running loose and went after him and his bike for 30 minutes. I explained that more than likely that dog was quite scared of bikes (moving objects with humans attached tend to be scary) and the dog probably lashed out in fear. I offered to bring Grey in and click and treat every time Hugh could look at him while slowly moving Grey closer. Hugh wasn't thrilled but the prospect of treats he was into. See, I'm the cookie pusher. I treat for good behavior and a thing called extinction tends to happen. Good behavior is repeated and bad behavior becomes extinct as a dog will repeat behavior it is rewarded for. It's amazing what I can get a dog to do when I have a treat pouch full of nummy food roll chopped up. Yep, I'm a cookie pusher and proud of it.
Hugh mentioned that he had caught a couple shows of a Hispanic dog trainer. I asked if he meant Cesar Milan. Hugh wasn't sure but I wanted to explain that those methods of intimidation, domination, invading a dog's space is dangerous, and can be deadly for the dog. Dogs who are punished for signalling can become shutdown. Would you rather be warned by a growl, baring of teeth, and snarl or just have a dog go for it. What I do is scientific and has been proven to work. Cesar Milan is entertainment and when the general public start using those methods, they are risking having their dog bite. I don't even consider it good entertainment. It's painful to watch the dogs be served a dose of Milan. I'll stick with having dogs signalling.
Signalling brought up another topic. What signals? How do dogs communicate with us? I like to use Grey as an example. As he's been relearning to signal he will prick his ears forward, portions of the white of his eyes (commonly called whale eye) present, lips pulled back in grimace, and tail high and wagging slowly with a stiff body. When I see this combined I know to remove Grey from the situation as he has moved out of his comfort zone and is showing me loud and clear that bad things can happen if threatened. We take dogs, put them in our homes and expect them to follow all these rules humans come up with. We owe it to these dogs to teach them what we expect of them.
I touched on Grey and his sisters, our two cats. All three of my highly managed companion animals are dear to me and I know with our training and consistent reinforcement we are a much happier family.
Oh and I had to vote Bacon or Tofu. I don't like Bacon so I went with tofu. According to my husband that means I'm a Communist and should be investigated. Ha!

The photo is Greyson performing a random down which is a touchy position for him being so close to a human. All through positive reinforcement training.

You can download a copy of the interview at http://www.flyoverzone. com in the archives section.

Aggression vs. Intimidation

A lot of times I hear people say "Well he won't listen so I have to be boss in his life". And that seems to be where life goes south for the dog and family relationship.

Dogs read our minute movements. When frustrated does your face change? You bet it does! The slightest furrow of your brows may happen or maybe you raise an eyebrow. Dogs are aware and read our slightest movements.

For example, Eddie Munster, named for his slight underbite came into the rescue and now has a huge note on his cage "Growler: Fearful & Scared". I approach his door to his room and he starts barking and lunging. I back up, clear my mind, take a deep cleansing breath and he allows me to reach in and pet him. The entire time I never face him. I give him my side to tell him "I come in peace". While he then barks for more petting he is no longer growling. He is reading my signals just as he would another dog.

I don't use my voice to tell him "It's Okay". Instead I show him that It's okay. Once I pet him, then I start slowly talking. I could be telling him about the weather but I keep my voice light and airy. I keep talking the entire time once he's allowing touch. A lot of times people say I'm baby talking the dog, and That's quite possible.

I move onto Hershey's area which is next door to Eddie. I repeat the same process even though Hershey is friendly to me but I'm still in view of Eddie and I want him to understand that I once again mean no harm.

The lesson I've learned from doing this is even if I'm not interacting with that specific dog, they still watch and see how I am interacting with everyone else. Dogs read our bodies.

The other night while working with Spudz through his door a former adopter let her puppy down to rinsed play. Small dogs are Spudz' trigger and at 4 months old, the puppy was small. I don't normally use aversions but I felt it unfair to stress Spudz out with a loose small dog running past his door so I body blocked his sight. Puppy come near I'd stand in front of Spudz working on his focus. Spudz and I do this for about 30 minutes and every time he meets eye contact and waits for his treat. He excels at this. The reason I can stand in front of Spudz and body block? Months and months of working up to that.

So, next time you want your dog to do something, clear your mind, take a deep breath and remember that they read us better than any human can read us.

To fail or not to fail...that is the question

I'm a firm believer of always setting your dog up for success. Sometimes, when we don't even realize it, we are setting up our furry pals to fail. It's the small things we are overlooking, and once you realize it, it's amazing the difference YOU can make in your companion's life.

This whole thought started for me with a conversation about using a mousetrap to deter counter surfing. I'm studying behavior right now and how a dog views the world. With having a noise reactive dog it's given me a new insight to his world.

There's several ways we can look at the aversion of the mousetrap. When the dog would jump up on the counter, the mousetrap (enclosed in a container) when moved would scare the dog and make him not want to jump up there again. What happens if the mousetrap doesn't go off? In my experience, the dogs I know may set off the trap, but do it anyway and just learn to avoid the aversion of the mousetrap. Or, in the case of my house, said dog would run from the sound, hide until he felt safe again and then refuse to step into the kitchen again.

Let's view why this would happen. Dogs view things with not just what they see and hear. Think about it this way, dogs associate us just not by sight but smell also. So, what happens if there is hamburger cooking or something with a distinctive smell when said mousetrap went off? The dog may associate the aversion wrongly. This can happen very easily and can be very bad as next thing you know; you have a domino effect of behavior scares.

I've found it simpler to set your dog up for success instead. I originally set Greyson up to fail by sitting dinner on the counter and clicking and rewarding when he ignored. When we moved into our new house Grey had a fear of our kitchen because that was the location where glass hit glass as we did dishes. Once we overcame that (with lots of patience and rewards) we reinforced 4 on the floor (as in 4 of his feet). He now sits and waits patiently for his turn to eat and treat. Now, had we done with the kitchen like we did with the rest of our house, it probably would have been simpler. In our house we remove temptation. Simple as that! We manage Greyson's interaction with items and normal household activities.

When Greyson was little it was summer time and of course that means flip flop season. In the matter of weeks, I went from 15 pairs of flip flops to none. Every chance he got, he shredded and devoured them. He wasn't picky either, we could be sitting in the room with him and he would grab one and start chewing. No amount of taking shoes from him worked. We traded out shoes for rawhides, toys, and chewies; and no luck. Inspiration hit and we had a shelf that was waist high. Greyson could "see" the shoes, but they were no longer in his domain ("the floor"). Voila! No more shoe eating. My floors no longer look like a crime scene of shredded mess.

From that day forward, the shelf was a key component in our life. We realized that by removing the temptation we received the resulting behavior we wanted (no shoes shredding). In all actuality, we didn't train Greyson this instance he trained us to remove items from his domain.

I call this management, rather than training. WE manage what he has a possibility to come into contact with. WE determine if we want a remote shredded by putting it up when not in use. WE determine if we want dirty laundry drug out, by putting IN the hamper and not in a pile on the floor. Since getting Greyson, our house is much more orderly due to us not wanting things destroyed.

Often times, I hear the words, "Well, I gave Fido and old shoes to chew on and he started eating my new Nikes!" Old socks are another I hear a lot about. Now, my question is simple...How is Fido supposed to tell the difference between new and old? When did humans expect dogs to learn such a thing? After I stop mentally giggling I turn to confused faces, to which I can only answer people by explaining that to a dog, there is no new or old, only theirs and theirs. Yes, that's not a typo. Once you give Fido his first shoe or sock, you have told him they are all his. You have begun his behavior.

Now imagine what happens if you remove those yummy feet-smelling treats. The unwanted behavior stops. Imagine that! How simple is that? I like to tell the human child in our house, "If you pick up YOUR stuff, the dog won't eat it." We provide lots of Greyson appropriate toys and chewies, but if YOU leave the temptation in his domain, then you are responsible for its loss.

Let's transpose the management theory over to the counter surfing problem. Remove the temptation. Don't leave food on the counters, tables or anywhere else. If you leave it there and you don't kennel or gate the dog, then YOU are responsible. I know people who don't allow the dog in the kitchen until they are done cooking, and after they put dinner on the table, they feed the dog and go have dinner. My father in law does this and it works great and he doesn't have a 100 pound boxer counter surfing. They are managing. A lot of people use gates and to me that is okay as well.

Now, let's move the management theory to walking on a leash. Dog pulls? Stop moving! Dog relaxes and leash goes slack? Start moving! Rinse and repeat! Sounds crazy, huh? Your dog will get it though and after a while, BOOM!, your dog is walking loose leash and all is well with the world. Well, sorta, ya know. Dogs are amazingly smart and once they pick up on how to get what they want, it's amazing what happens. By managing their ability to move forward during a walk, they will relax and they will work with you.

So, give it a try! Look through your house and see what you can do to manage Fido. You'll be amazed at what you come up with!

Letting go is never easy

I've been quiet for a little bit. I needed to sort out a few things. I'm not normally a very emotional person, but this has been a trying time on my emotions. I have become attached to Spudz and I had to make a very hard decision.

Spudz has wormed his way into my heart and has become a treasured piece of me. He has become so dear to me that I found myself calling myself Momma to him. And then after our training sessions I would put him back into his room at the shelter and I would drive home a mess. I started to want nothing more than to bring my baby boy home to live with his brother and sisters, but I knew that wasn't possible and it was slowly tearing me to pieces.

No matter what I did I can't get Spudz to like cats much less coexist with two female cats. And, I am the lucky guardian of two cats. I knew Greyson would be tough enough, but I can't fool myself into thinking I can ever make it work. Some dogs just can't get past their dislike of cats. My house would be as much stress as the kennel stress is getting to be.

So, when Becky, the president of Scott County Dog Rescue, started telling me about the family who was interested in Spudz I tried to put it off as "he's not ready". In my heart I was trying to still convince myself that I could make it work somehow, but I can no longer lie to myself.

Spudz has come as far as he is ever going to come in my hands while living in a shelter. Today sealed the deal for me in my decision. I took some friends to see the dogs and we let the dogs out to play and potty. Spudz was calm. To hear someone else who has no experience with dogs claim he was calm and a good dog, I knew I was holding him back.

The family is ideal, have teenage sons and have experience with reactive dogs. I was the one who was standing in their way. I had to agree that he is ready. He has the training, meds, and balance he needs to continue in a home. I know it will be a rough transition for not just Spudz but for me also. And, it won't be a quick process. There will lots of visits and meetings and Spudz will need to continue with a training schedule. Slowly we will transition him to their home and I know this isn't going to be easy for me.

I came home today and curled up with Greyson and just held him tight. Who knew training a dog can cause you to become so attached to a dog. I started this journey with Spudz because a vet said he wasn't a good candidate to be rehabbed and I refused to give up. I know our journey isn't over but I'm truly hoping that this family works out and can give him the home I know I'm unable to give him. Even if I was delusional enough to think I could for a while.

So, in closing, if Spudz gets a home, this will be my first huge training break through. And it was all done force - free and with love, and understanding of a dog who isn't acting out just to act out. Dogs are telling us things with their behavior and if we open our minds and hearts to understanding them, just about anything is possible.

That Step Backwards

Tonight I went to work with Spudz. I was super excited. We are working leash manners. And by working them I use a belt leash that is only 3 feet long so Spudz doesn't feel nervous. He still has me at his side. The belt hooks loosely around my waist and this is how I have walked Greyson ever since he dislocated both of my shoulders. It gives a great more ability to redirect as it gives me a hands-free method to walk with and I can dig treats out of my treat bag easier.

I always start off with exercises in the building first. Twenty taps to the palm, Twenty times looking at me when I say his name, and then we're ready! I decided to go through the play yard and let him potty first so he wasn't instantly looking for a spot to potty in as soon as we walked out the gate. We were doing great at first. He sat next to me took a treat and I started moving. His instant reaction, run to the end of the leash. I expected this though and just stopped and stood there. This is how I teach loose leash walking. It's about as exciting as watching paint dry and happens about as fast. I've seen dogs go as few as 10 feet the first time learning this but repeat, repeat, repeat. Come back to me, get a treat, we move.

With Greyson I lure walked. I kept treats in my hand at his nose and he walked while getting treats. He mostly dropped them but he was so excited by the prospect that there was MORE treats he didn't care about the ones he dropped. Unfortunately Greyson learned that if there weren't treats near his nose he didn't need to walk next to me. We reverted to the process I'm using with Spudz and Greyson is much more enjoyable to walk.

With Spudz, we got just beyond the area where the cars park when something caught his eye. Oh, no, it was a cat. Spudz instantly reacted. He was lunging, jumping, and barking at the end of the leash. At one point I was pretty sure I was about to be dragged behind him on the belt leash. Luckily the belt leash offers a lower center of gravity being around my waist and not the wrist and I ended up standing there while he was so over stimulated that there was no pulling him back to me. By pulling him back to me I refer to redirection. I often times to pull his attention back to me will hold a treat where he can see it and move it to my face. Spudz LOVES food and 9 times out of 10 he will follow that treat and sit. This time, no such luck. It was over for him.

Sometimes we don't have success when we train. This was our chance to have a peaceful (if short) walk through town while there wasn't a lot of people out. By me not checking our surroundings beforehand I am responsible for his not making progress tonight. Sometimes things like this happen. It's times like this when we have to pick ourselves up and move on. It was not Spudz fault there was a cat there. It was my fault for not realizing the cat was there and setting him up to fail. I should note that once we got near my car Spudz went to the back door and sat down. He has learned cars mean car rides, which means good things to come like ball parks and exercise running and being a normal dog.

Next time, I will know to check out the outside before I randomly put Spudz in a position that he's not comfortable in. We know he doesn't like cats, we need to avoid that. Slowly triggers for him become obvious. Small furry things that Meow should be avoided.

Tonight wasn't a complete loss. Spudz may not have gotten to walk but he taught me a huge lesson. As with all things it's a learning experience for everyone involved. We learn from each other and we move forward from that. Spudz taught me to be more observant and for that I thank him.

A Moment of Pride

We all have those moments where we just step back and smile. Sometimes with positive reinforcement training those moments are slow to start, but once they start it seems like they just start piling up and next thing you know you are smiling non-stop. Or, in my case, your dog is smiling non-stop also.

Greyson has always been very fearful of men. No one knows why or how it happened. He has a select circle of men that he loves and will shower with unconditional love. Yesterday, he took baby steps towards someone he didn't know, and though his tail was tucked and he was cautious, he walked up to a male he didn't know and sat to be petted. This for him is huge. He doesn't solicit attention from men. I almost cried tears of joy when I saw his body go relaxed and he rubbed his head on the guys leg to be petted even more. It was a very proud momma moment but it didn't stop there.

Greyson has also never read signals from another dog. I've always had to help him out and make sure I always set him up for success. There was a male pit bull terrier who was coming at us full bore and was straining to get to Greyson. Grey has met the other dog and has played with him before. The other dog was in an obvious state of panic because his handler was not the greatest of trainers and was freaking him out. He was coming right at us head on and to my amazement, Greyson stood up and turned his side to the dog. Old Greyson would have went at the dog head on and paws up to smack him in the face, but nope, he turned and lowered his head to show the other dog "It's okay, I come in peace." Unfortunately the other trainer grabbed the leash and yanked the other dog away from Greyson even though there was zero signs of aggression or either dog being uncomfortable. While it was obvious this made Greyson nervous he never went rigid and kept his side to the other dog. My boy is finally learning!!

Greyson can be very defensive and I am very blunt about it by explaining to people that he has the know how and the will to bite another dog. This went completely unheeded by the other trainer and she just kept yanking that poor other dog around by his leash. (Least she had removed the prong collar from him before she did it.) It was a very uncomfortable situation not just for me but for the dogs involved. Unfortunately there is no talking sense in to some people and I have to learn when to cut my losses.

Greyson though, even after a long exhausting day at the clinic getting his front legs looked at pulled through and got an ice cream at the end of the day. For him to have been poked and prodded all day and not be agitated is a huge accomplishment for him. He has learned in a short six months how to shake it off. He went from being a dog like Spudz who can't bounce back from a distraction or major upheaval to a dog who in a few minutes walks away, shakes it off and looks at me like "What's up Mom? We're cool!"

As Greyson progresses he becomes more comfortable with not just me but with himself. He's never been that proud little boy who prances and I'm starting to see that personality come out little by little. He's slowly becoming proud of himself. He no longer walks with his head down towards the ground. He is head up and right by my side. I think all the obedience work we have done with him and the time we've spent watching his triggers for panic attacks makes me him more confident that he knows he will be okay. He knows that we are here and we will help him in his journey and that in return makes him more confident in himself just even to be a normal dog.

On another note, I can not thank my family at Pit Bull Zen enough! These folks welcomed me when I felt very alone with Greyson. With them I have had the courage to know that I am capable of working with dogs who have problems and they are a sounding board for when I have questions. They are also an amazing resource for Force-Free/Positive Reinforcement training. Liz and Dawn have given me the basis of a wonderful foundation to work with dogs like Spudz and Greyson. They also helped me connect with Laurie Buchele of Buchele K-9 Services who is phenomenal!  And without all the members, I probably wouldn't have had those moments of pride with Greyson yesterday.

They've also given me the courage to apply to The Professional Pet Guild. I got my acceptance email and yes, I squee'd in glee. Least this time I was at home and not in the middle of a park packed with people.

So, when you are feeling like you are a lone person against the adversity of a problem dog or people look at you crazy because you refuse to put a prong collar on a dog, remember, there are always resources out there. Just go find them!

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

Sometimes training feels like a dance. It's a dance of work, reward, and the final payoff of rehabilitation. In some cases the rehabilitation is a constant upkeep of maintenance. Sometimes not so much. Sometimes progress never happens. I've always been a realist but Spudz makes me want to be a dreamer.

The progress Spudz has been making has been mind blowing. He is a dog who people were scared of even though he has yet to show any aggression to humans. His size alone is intimidating. He's tall, lanky, and strong. He is the proverbial large black male pit bull. And, he was out of control. Being untrained and unsocialized made him dangerous. He was the dog who didn't know to look to his human as to what to do.

Notice the past tense speech yet? I can proudly say that Spudz is learning. Learning is huge in a dog like Spudz. Spudz out in the real world without people who understand that he had never been trained or socialized would have been doomed. I'm lucky enough that Becky, the head of Scott County Dog Rescue, agreed to do anything possible to help Spudz. I still remember her phone call to me telling me he had attacked another dog. It wasn't a question of what to do, it was a question of when do we start.

Last night there were puppies at the rescue who were just born. That was exciting but I had my main goal and it never changes. I needed to work with Spudz. When I let him out of his room he does his laps around the center of the building and then he is on his rear at my feet. I had a treat in my hand. I had the leash! :) Nothing is ever that easy though. I had taught Spudz that when I place my palm out to him he is to touch his nose to it. Soon as he saw my palm he pranced and started tapping. To him this is a fun game. He doesn't realize that what I'm teaching him is that when he sees my palm he needs to move to it. This is how I'm teaching him to redirect. No matter what, he sees my palm and he is learning tap it with his nose. With this process I am slowly moving him where I want him.

He tapped my palm 15 times with no fails. He really has picked up on my game quickly. I did some focus exercises with asking him to look at me for treats while I say his name and again, no fails, constant success. I do an exercise where I let him free roam and call him to me. Not so many successes but he looks at me as soon as I say his name. To me, that is progress. With dog training there really isn't failure, I think. As long as you have progress of some kind, you have success. While some dogs learn slower than others, all dogs are different.

I figured I had subjected him to exercise enough and it was time to use the leash. I use a modified leash belt to walk dogs. This gives me hand free control if I need to grab treats to redirect and it never transfers my tension down that leash. This is ideal for a dog like Spudz who really is nervous when he's constrained. This way he feels loose and is still getting exercise while learning to walk on a loose leash. At first it's his first reaction to run away and try to get away from the leash. I just stand there and be peaceful. It takes him a matter of less than a minute to realize "Okay, this is another game". He moves to me and sits down. I give him a click and a treat and we move. Soon as he starts to pull away from me, I stop again. This way I'm never setting him up to fail. I'm letting him learn at his own pace to come back to me and then we will move.  We did this for about 15 minutes before he just sat there and didn't want to walk at all. He had done enough and I'm proud of him. He's learning at a pace that I thought impossible. Now if only he liked cats, then he could just come home with me.

Mentioning home, Greyson has either injured his front left leg or his growth defect is catching up to us and he has the onset of arthritis. We will be finding out tomorrow which it is. I know we were given a shortened time with him but I'm not ready to let go of him without a fight. After all, he is my baby and my biggest triumph when he can stand 10 feet from a dog who he normally would try to lunge at and instead ignores it and focuses fully on me. He's come a long way from being the crazy puppy from hell. He may always look like a puppy but he has grown leaps and bounds mentally and is my heart.

So while Spudz has taken two steps forward in being a normal dog, I've taken one step back by curling up on the couch to keep Greyson calm and inactive today. Normally we would do training games and keep him active even if it's just hiding stuff in boxes for him to search out. Instead, I just loved on him and kept him at my side all day. Tomorrow will be another day though and then we will see where we go with my own personal little boy.

Oh for the love of Dog!

As an artist I am in the public a lot. I spend time hanging out in parks and at festivals almost every week. This is my avenue to show my art to the world. To me, this has become second nature. It was quite by accident that I found that this gives me a prime chance to also peddle something other than my art...my mouth.

A lot of times I sport a shirt that shows a large image of a yin yang symbol and says "Pit Bull Zen". This is my opening to a lot of people who normally wouldn't talk to me about dogs. After all, what would a crazy jewelry artist know about dogs, right? Most people would be surprised, let me tell ya.

Tonight I decided that I needed to honor Levi so I wore my Remember Levi shirt and in my own way I honored his existence by taking him to Chatham Sweet Corn Festival in Chatham, IL with me in the form of a T-shirt. To me this was a way to honor his memory and open the discussion to talk about something I fight against every day...dog fighting. Here in Central Illinois dog fighting is a true and very real problem. Being in a state that has no breed ban against pit bulls it has attracted a very large population to fight these dogs that I treasure. The evenings are numerous of how many times I've sat in the town I first moved to here in Illinois and hold dogs who are covered in scars and honestly I've taken on a few of those scars myself, mentally.

I had a teenage boy who was willing to throw a punch at me because of my shirt and because he misread it and thought I was promoting dog fighting. Then there was a lady who did the whole "That doesn't happen in my community" that I had to show her pictures on my phone of a very real little girl who was too battered to live because she had been too docile to fight so she became a bait dog to a cruel individual. Yes it happens in a lot of communities and yes it is a growing epidemic. How can I help against dog fighting? Simple, by sharing my journey and telling the stories of the dogs who have come across my path.

As the day wore on I met a woman who had a pit bull. She loves her dog and she is not someone you would think of as a pit bull owner. And then she started talking about training. You could tell by the way she spoke of her dog so lovingly that he was her world and she loved him to pieces, so I was baffled when she said the magic words. "Training collar" I know what most people refer to as a training collar. I refer to them as an archaic and barbaric torture device. I thought maybe she had a different collar in mind so I asked the million dollar question, "Uh, so are you referring to a prong collar?" She was and my heart broke. I will never understand how someone who claims they love their dog would cause their dog pain. I know, I know, if used correctly it is a wonderful training device...or so I keep hearing suddenly from people. Know what I see when I pick up the prong collar that lays on my mantle? A dog who will within seconds begin to shake and start to shut down. Yep, I used to use a prong collar. And, yes, Greyson would do everything precisely when wearing it.

And I was shown the correct way to use a prong collar. I was shown by someone who is certified in dog training to use this device. We spent tons of time using the prong collar and every time I put it on Greyson, he was the perfect angel. And why wouldn't he be, he was dealt a pinch in the neck every time he did something wrong, like pull on the lead. There's a problem with this though. A dog who learns that he is dealt pain every time something wrong is done will stop doing those things, but they will also stop signalling since when he would signal that he was going to do something was when the pinch would happen. So what was I teaching Greyson? Simple, do not show me when you are about to do something that you think I don't want you to do since that is when the pain would happen. Wonderful, what a way to create a dog who won't signal at all since signals is how dogs tell each other and humans what they are feeling.

It's extremely dangerous to teach a dog that showing teeth is wrong. Or growling! So if they go to bite, you will get zero signal and said dog will JUST bite. 

So anyway, back to the woman and her training collar. I really felt bad for her dog after talking with her. She had zero idea what she is doing to her dog. She has been counselled that this is the only way to control her dog. When I tried to explain what I just explained to anyone reading her reaction was mind boggling. "I even had a K-9 Unit trainer show me how to give a swift correction with the leash so I don't have to worry about any disobedience." This was where I almost screamed "Oh for dog's sake, are you daft?!?" A K-9 unit is trained in a completely different way than a companion animal. WHY would anyone take advice from them for their own personal dog? I should have known when she told me she felt a strong responsibility to this breed by showing complete control over him at all times that this conversation was going to not sit well with me. I tried to offer to show her a martingale collar (I carry some in my purse for this reason) but she was not hearing any of it. She has been told by more trainers how wonderful these collars are so obviously my experience was invalid to her. 

It's sad when someone loves their dog so much and doesn't see what they are doing to harm them. I feel horrible for that dog and I can only hope that he never does anything to get himself in major trouble. And for the owner, well I hope someday she takes off the blinders and stops believing everything people tell her. Also, please burn your retractable leash! Those things are a walking disaster and shouldn't be sold for anything over 10 pounds. 

And, to the owners of the Australian Shepherd who lavished me with kisses, thank you for sharing Maggie's story with me! Thank you for loving a dog who had parvo, is scared of people, and is dog aggressive but yet you work non-stop with her to make her an amazing little girl! It's people like you that I love and adore! 

You do what? For how many cookies?

Today has been a bit of a rough day. We all have those and it's these days that I have to pick myself up and know that I do what I do to make a difference in a dog's life. I do what I do to show peace, light and love to the dogs who have never met a human that had any kindness to them.

Tonight was my night to show Spudz that humans are good people and we can be a source of love. Tonight I sit on the couch and love and massage him while he chews on his bone and rub all those sweet spots that make him a wiggle worm in my arms. To most people that might seem crazy, but to me this is important for him. Spudz hasn't had a bond with a human who shows him this. Tonight that became important for me to have that with him as well.

I received today my Levi shirt. Levi was one of the Cleveland 27 who passed away too soon. The Cleveland 27, as they are known, are 27 dogs pulled out of a house in Cleveland that was a dog fighting house. The man who was responsible for the torment of these 27 dogs plead guilty in a courtroom filled with people I call friends. These people welcomed these dogs into their home, love these dogs, and some have lost these dogs due to the damages that were done to these dogs at the hand of one man. I think I'll always be a Cleveland girl at heart and when I first heard of the 27 I was miserable that I couldn't get home quick enough.

I didn't look at the package until I got to the rescue facility since I was in a hurry after having an ordeal where I had to deal with a man who doesn't understand why I will gladly put my body between a dog being harmed and a human. (Him on the side of the law and me on the side of the innocent.) When I got there I saw the name on the return address and I knew Spudz and I were about to have a very special night. Well, that is after I completely lost it. For a dog who people see and demonize because of how he looks and I stand up and say "I LOVE YOU!" I don't care what they look like, they deserve a chance just as much as any other dog. I've never known what love from a dog can be like until I had a little girl who I cradled in my arms who was broken, bloody and damaged and she was more interested in licking my tears than she was her own pain. Shocker...she was a pit bull type dog.

So, yeah, tonight was pretty special for Spudz and me. To see him curl up on the couch with Becky and me and allow us to rub all over him and just show him that humans are capable of more than cruelty to this breed was damn important for me. To have him lick my cheek and show me love right back truly hit the spot. Probably for both of us.Sometimes when I feel like I am fighting a losing battle against not only discrimination against these amazing dogs, but also the assholes who fight them, it makes it worth it to curl up on the couch and have one who some people think is a horrible dog to love on and be loved back.

Oh my! The belly rubs are the best!

So far it's been very one sided with Spudz and me. He asks for attention and as soon as I go to pet he moves away. This is his M.O. with everyone. He still doesn't know how to ask for attention and be loved on. He's nervous with humans. Who can blame him, he has never formed that connection with someone. He has a weird connection with me and that normally consists of my lower lip being sucked on by him. Go to pet him though and he will run away.

That is his normal position for me. I move, he moves with me, and then he sits directly in front of me facing me like this. Tonight after our workout together he did something I thought I would never see. He laid down to cool off on he concrete and as soon as Becky sat down on the concrete he moved over, flopped on his back and held all his paws up saying "RUB MY BELLY!!" I had a total freak out moment and just sat there with my mouth hanging open. Did he really just ask for a belly rub? The dog who doesn't like to be touched?!?

A few minutes later and Becky was in the other side of the building, I decided to try my luck. I sat down on the concrete and just sat being peaceful. Sure enough, here he came, flopped and held to have his belly rubbed. As I'm rubbing I notice his tail is beating a lovely drum on my leg.

Funny, if you are standing, sitting or over him, he doesn't want to be touched. Get down on the ground with him and he is a 55 pound lovebug! Progress!! Spudz is scared of people being above or overtop of him. On his level though and he's comfy. Loose body, comfort wag of his rear. The more time I spend with him, the more I understand what he is showing me and what he is thinking.

Celebrate for everyone but the dogs!

The time around the fourth of July has always been a very hectic time for me. As an artist I rely on shows to make money and there are tons of shows in the park on the third and fourth. I have a set show setup that I do every year and that involves me packing up and leaving home for two days. I come home only to sleep.

This causes a bit of anxiety in my own house with my personal dog. He's still not used to Momma leaving and not being there even just so he knows where I am and what is going on. I have taken all the precautions needed for him. Daddy, otherwise known as the hubs, knows how to put his thundershirt on him, he knows where his meds are and he knows that since it's so hot out there's no walking and we do limited outdoor activity since he's a black dog and with the heat index it's close to 100 degrees here. Normally Greyson would be allowed to go with me and he would love it. He enjoys new people on his terms and these are normally very good for him. Unfortunately it's too hot for that right now and it's just not possible.

And, then there's the training of Spudz which gets put on hold with me since I will be in another town and unable to work with him. This bothers me even more. Spudz needs a schedule and the reinforcement of being there when he needs. He also needs to be in a foster home where he can work through his barrier issues and not feel caged in. I can only imagine the level of kennel stress he is under. He has a pretty sweet set-up though for a dog who lives in a rescue facility. When Becky or I are there he gets to be free in half the facility and be a "normal" dog for the most part. He has a couch, chairs, tables, a desk. It's as close to a home as we can get for him right now. I will still be in search of a foster home though where I can go work with him daily.

This dog is terrified of water though. You fill his water dish and he backs away from it. It's been so hot the dogs have gotten to play in the kiddie pools, but Spudz, uh no way. Then I get this pic on my phone. I squealed in delight in the middle of a festival like a loon!

The heat and his need to cool off won and he wouldn't get OUT of the kiddie pool! Who can blame him in this heat. It's hot and he too is a black dog! 

Here Kitty Kitty Kitty!

So today was  HUGE lesson learned. It started out like every training night with Spudz. We play for a little bit, do exercises, then play some more. I wait to capture appropriate behavior when he is just playing and being a normal dog. Then click/treat as we capture the good behavior. It is a fairly simple process and about as exciting as watching paint dry. For that reason I normally try to make Spudz feel like he's in a normal home. I read, I do work in my journals, I act like a basic normal human being who apparently lives in a rescue facility. (I do not live there but to Spudz, I do. His half of the facility is my home when we're together.)

Tonight we had an unwanted visitor. It was small, furry, cute to most, and was a kitten. We did good avoiding the C-A-T until said creature pooped. Suddenly I had a beautiful pit bull with the prey drive who went into overload mode. One second my student was parked in front of me saying please and then working on his nose taps to my hand and next second he was hunting the smell and was determined to find it. Becky acted quick and put the kitten in a wire crate to get it moved as soon as possible. This, to Spudz, was not good enough. As soon as he caught sight of the kitten, he was game on.

Without thinking as I knew I had to get between him and the kitten I grabbed his collar. (Bad Dee, no cookie) and put my arm in front of his nose as I moved him away. This to me was his ample time to redirect on me. Instead, as soon as his nose hit my forearm, he looked up at me and turned his head away from my arm to avoid his muzzle being near it. Progress! He knows human from another creature!

Our training session was ruined even once the kitten was moved to another area in the crate because Spudz can't de-stress and bounce back from an incident like that quickly. He paced, sniffed the area non-stop and was in "hunt" mode for about an hour. Then suddenly as I was sitting at the table he came over and sat down. He would still wander over to the area where the kitten was and sniff and check to make sure it was gone but he would return and sit and ask politely for love. Yep, he's a vicious agressive animal who needed to be put down.

On a side note, we have changed his diet completely! He is on Turkey and Potato blend (grain free) of Blue Buffalo. He gets Calming Shen and Salmon Oil with his food and his treats are turkey based. This way he is getting the L-Tryptophan through his food intake. This is a good article to read here about this. Article on L-Tryptophan for dogs with anxiety