Postings by Gracie's Family

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Figgy (at- the Bridge) If it looks- good, eat it!     Barked: Mon Jul 21, '08 3:12pm PST  We love you, but... Please, post your threads on the American Pit Bull Terrier list or the American Staffordshire Terrier list if you are not a Bull Terrier! (AKA English Bull Terrier) We Bull Terriers are the Target dog, or Spuds McKenzie, or Rufus the Westminster Best in Show winner 2006. We are not Pitties or AmStaffs! You are our cousins, and we love you, and you have your own forums. Licks, Figgy and Ollie my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Gracie Rub my tummy or- else!     Barked: Thu Jul 17, '08 1:53pm PST  Maybe your Mom and Dad could put a pee pad (or whatever they're called) in the yard so you know that's where to go. Or maybe they could plant a little spot of grass just for you! my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dogster Lifestyle, News & Entertainment > Pet friendly flooring.

Amos I am not a- moose!     Barked: Sat Jun 7, '08 11:20am PST  We have Pergo in our kitchen and hall, and I love it. Easy to clean, no scratches, and - get this - no marks from our wire crates! Yes, it's slippery. We get a big laugh when one of the dogs tries to accelerate but goes nowhere. We call it "cartoon dog." Cheaper laminates may not hold up so well, though. Ruthie, Mom of the Cooblyden my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Grooming > toenails-how to shorten the quick

Gracie Rub my tummy or- else!     Barked: Sat Jun 7, '08 11:14am PST  There is a way to shorten the quick without really close trimming. Look closely at the nails. you'll see that the nail grows all around the quick at the paw end, but opens out a bit, further away, exposing the outside (dead part) of the quick. This is most easily seen on the hind feet. You need a very small "half-round" file. File away that bottom part (the inside of the curve) of the all-round nail until the flaky,dead part of the quick is exposed. This will help the quick recede faster. I've used this on many a rescue dog. I have had good luck with helping my dogs be better about their nails being clipped by lying them on their sides, and massaging them between nails. I also offer cookies a lot! And the earlier suggestion about peanut butter and a spoon is gret, if you have someone to hold the spoon for you. I use both a dremel and clippers, and they are both considered torture devices by my dogs... We call them the Evil Toe Grinder and the Evil Toe Amputaters. All we have to do to get Gracie to go hide is to look at her and ay "Toes!" my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Behavior & Training > Cesar Millan Rant - The truth about dominance

Oliver- Twisted 796494     Barked: Sat Jun 7, '08 10:46am PST  Interesting thread... I'm in the "use what works for you and toss the rest" camp. I like Cesar: his love for dogs, his wonderful ability to "speak dog," two qualities I share. I like his ability to rehab "red zone" dogs. (For the person who asked, a "red zone" dog is one who is actively dangerous to other dogs and/or people.) I'm a professional, and the two "red zone" dogs I tried to rehab both wound up getting put down. I think Cesar could have saved at least one, whose family was willing to go to any lengths and were good listeners. I tried to use all positive methods - maybe I shouldn't have. (That applies to the red zone only!) As for the idea that "dogs do not roll each other by force, the submitting dog does it as a peace gesture," that is only partially true. I had a pack of 9 dogs, with a lovely, gentle alpha male, who did "roll" other dogs now and then. He did not grab them, but knocked them over by knocking into their shoulders, then straddled them and growled until they submitted. Occasionally, he would also grab them by the muzzle. I see this as "non-violent" use of body language, since I've seen the same dog, regrettably, fight for real under different circumstances. This dog, Strider, has long since gone to the Bridge. He was not the kind of Alpha that felt the need to constantly reassert himself; he was the epitome of what Cesar Millan calls "calm-assertive energy." He only rolled other dogs when they tested him, and he only fought when truly challenged. (Do I need to say that I broke up the fight, and kept him and that serious challenger separate for the rest of their lives?) And, yes, dogs do want and need a pack structure in their lives. Just because they no longer have to hunt for their food doesn't mean they don't *think* they need to. While I agree that the initial studies of wolves in captive packs were flawed, more work has been done since then. Like Jan Fennell, I have seen the relief exhibited by dogs who have been relieved of the responsibility of leading the pack. It's real, folks; they need a leader, and if they don't see one in the family, they'll try to take over the role - because "SOMEbody's got to do it!" Jan Fennell's book, "The Dog Listener," is excellent. If you like Cesar's ideas but not his forceful techniques, Jan's book will get you there. I wish we got her TV show over here - I'd like to see her work. (I'm also a fan of Victoria Stillwell.) Put it next to "Be the Pack Leader" by Cesar Millan, and you'll find many similarities! I like 2/3 of Cesar's stuff. He is right in what he accomplishes - for instance, the importance of "the walk." I don't like the forceful way he accomplishes it. But throwing out his philosophy because I don't like his coercive stuff would be stupid. Oh, and I'm an advocate of free speech. If NatGeo gets the ratings with Cesar, more power to them. If idiots disregard the many warnings to not try these things without a professional's help, it's not the fault of Cesar or NatGeo. Ruthie, Mom of the Cooblyden (That's the COOnhound - BuLLY den) my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Nellie - at the- Bridge Brindle dogs- rule!     Barked: Sat May 3, '08 8:46pm PST  Nobody has mentioned the most important thing about training a recall: Make sure that nothing negative is associated with it! This means: Never call your dog and then punish him, trim his nails, immediately lock him in his crate, etc etc. If you really need to call him for something unpleasant, then put him on a leash and play for a few minutes first, so he won't associate the unpleasantness with the recall. Coming when called should never mean "now the fun's over." So do plenty of recalls, and, most of the time, reward the dog and release it right away. When Nellie was a puppy, I trained her with all-positive recalls. She was bred to hunt bears, so when she escaped from the yard once, she put her nose down and was off! I took a deep breath, made my voice sound happy, and called her to come - and she did. Did I praise her and "jackpot" her? You bet I did! I'm currently training Amos the same way - we go for long walks with him on a Flexi, and I call him frequently, reward him with a cookie, and let him go again. He, too, is developing a happy recall. Ruthie, hooney's Mom my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Behavior & Training > Am I nuts, or...

Gracie Rub my tummy or- else!     Barked: Sat Apr 26, '08 8:24pm PST  From your description, Sully's behavior sounds friendly and playful. I have this habit - I'm gonna say a few words in defense of the high-and-mighty lady. Since Sully was fence-running and barking, she might have been afraid of a fence-fight developing. It can go from friendly to fight in a snap. (So to speak!) Since Scully's a terrier, and a lot of terriers can be scrappy, she might be expecting aggression from him. Plus, you know Scully's body language 'cuz you live with him. Terrier body language can look a bit scrappy, too, because of their upright posture and "gay" tails. In general, a stiff dog with a tense, upright tail is acting aggressive. Terriers, though... I've only seen them looking relaxed when they're settled in a lap or asleep! (Yes, Gracie, I'm talking about you!) So there's a couple of things you can tell her to help her relax. Sheesh, if barking gets you banned at the dog park, I could never take Amos, he talks all the time when he plays. And it's LOUD! 1.WHAT DO YOU CONSIDER ACCEPTABLE/NORMAL BEHAVIOR IN DOG PARKS? Playing, sniffing, checking people out, running around like goonies, excited barking... you get the picture! 2. WHAT IS UNACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR AND/OR GROUNDS FOR REMOVING A DOG FROM THE PARK? Any aggressive behavior that is not controlled by the owner. (We need to watch our dogs all the time!) Examples: face-barking, mounting (dogs or people), knocking other dogs off their feet, starting fights. (It's not always the dominant dog that starts a fight, either.) For people: not controlling their dogs when necessary and not cleaning up after their dogs. 3. WHAT ARE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS FOR DOG PARK INTERACTIONS? There are foolish people everywhere. You should expect to run into them at the dog park. That's a realistic expectation! Having said that, my ideal is for the dogs to interact, play together, but not fight. Ruthie, Gracie's Mom my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Behavior & Training > Puppy walking help...sorry so long...

Amos I am not a- moose!     Barked: Thu Apr 24, '08 3:48pm PST  I'm al old trainer and instructor from way back. While Labs are happy-go-lucky dogs, GSDs are "sharp;" this means they are very aware of their surroundings. Sounds like your baby might be a bit nervous about his new neighborhood. (This is very common in Shepherds! It's normal!) So reward and praise him for walking away from it. Go a little further each day. I disagree with your instructor. The Gentle Leader is a great tool. Once he is no longer pulling with it, you have to transition to a regular (for me, that means an all-nylon martingale) collar. Here's how: Put your regular leash on the regular collar and a lightweight leash on the GL. Keep the GL leash a bit looser than the other. If and when he starts to lean on the new collar, gently correct him with the GL. I usually say "no pull" when I do this." Have you watched this instructor teach? If the collar issue is your only problem with him/her, consider the prong. It looks awful but (when used correctly) is actually gentler than a chain/choke collar. I think of the prong collar (and the Gentle Leader) as "power steering." (Of course, you should never use either one with a long line or flexi lead. Only with a 6-foot or less leash.) And you wean the dog off it the same way as the GL. If your instructor knows how to use a prong, he/she will adjust it to fit high on the dog's neck. I no longer use choke chains; the potential for harm far outweighs the good, IMNSHO. Good luck! Ruthie, Amos' mom my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Dog Health > post neutered - hard lump

Amos I am not a- moose!     Barked: Thu Apr 24, '08 3:25pm PST  It sounds perfectly normal. Sometimes when they get excited, not necessarily sexually, it swells. Almost all of my male dogs (all but one neutered) have done this now and then. Not to worry! It's bulb glandis, as another poster wrote. That's the part of the penis that swells and causes the "tie" when dogs mate. Don't rub it! You'd be... well, to keep it clean: you'd be doing something gross! Ruthie, Amos' mom my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

Amos I am not a- moose!     Barked: Tue Apr 22, '08 4:46pm PST  In my experience, it usually takes from 2 weeks to a few months for an adult rescue to realize that he has a real, permanent home. During that time, they are usually pretty quiet, and do a lot of observing. As they get more confident, their real personality will emerge. Jones looks like a pointer, and they're usually high energy dogs. There are three things dogs need for confidence. Food, shelter, and structure. I was going to say "discipline," but thought that might sound negative. They need to know what the rules are, how the pack operates. I think that's what they are observing for those first weeks. This can be sped up by working with the dog, helping him learn the house rules. Like "no jumping up" and whether or not he's allowed on the furniture. Basic obedience training is also good, as long as it's positive! One important thing... if he's timid, don't reward it. Don't punish it either! But if you reassure him like we do our kids ("It's OK, sweetie, here's a hug"), it will reinforce the fear. I don't mean it will make him more scared. He will learn that acting fearful gets rewarded. The best way to deal with it is to ignore it, in the house and yard. Away from home the best way to do that is to teach him to sit next to you on command. He acts scared, you say "heel" (or whatever you decide to use as a cue), he does, and he now has a safe place to observe whatever is scaring him. Plus you can reward him for sitting at heel! Good luck to you and Jones! Ruthie, Mom to Gracie, Nellie, and Amos my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals [notify]

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