A non-frozen suggestion that is lower calorie than some of the earlier suggestions
Recipe:
1/2 ripe banana
Kibble
Fill half way with kibble (I used ~1/2 of Tess's breakfast) and then break half of a very ripe banana into the large opening and slighly mash around. The banana consistency does a great job of holding in the kibble and not sliding out, while still being accessible, even when not frozen.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Zeke Dental update
Remember the glowing review I gave to Zuke's Zbones (their dental treat) as compared to Greenies?
I need to update my thoughts a bit.....
I originally fed "Z-ridges". They were on sale because they were being discontinued and replaced with "Z-Bones", a product that had a different name and packaging, but I was told was an identical formula.
Here's the issue --> the flavor I tried was "Original Fresh Breath". I haven't been able to find it in the "new" product, and I've been told several of the "old" flavors have been discontinued. The only flavors I can find are ones like "carrot", "apple" etc. The ingredient lists ARE very similar, but the products with the "extra" flavorings break down much quicker and seem softer than the one I originally tried. And when I say broke down faster.......it takes her 5 min or less to get through the new one compared to 20 or more minutes for the original product. I think it's because the flavoring ingredients break up the product enough that it doesn't hold together the same. Could it also be because of the addition of tapioca? I'm not sure, but at least until I can find a flavor that behaves more like the original fresh breath I originally tried, I'm not sure I can whole-heartedly recommend this product, and I'm not sure it's worth the cost to regularly feed. Very disappointing how differently the "new" product performed (how long it lasted, perception of the "roughness" of the chewed surface etc.)
Here's the ingredient list for the product I originally fed: (Original Fresh Breath)
Potato starch
Vegetable glycerin
Cellulose fiber
Alfalfa concentrate
Natural flavor
Lecithin
Whey
Vanilla extract
Clove powder
Parsley powder
Nutmeg powder
fennel seed powder
Here's the ingredient list for the new "Z-bone" product: (Clean Carrot Crunch)
Potato starch
tapioca
Vegetable glycerin
Carrot
Pumpkin
Alfalfa concentrate
Cellulose fiber
Beta carotene
Lecithin
Natural flavor
Parsley
Ground clove
Rosemary extract
Fennel seed powder
vanilla extract
Calcium propionate
Zinc propionate
I'm going to contact the company and see what they say.
I need to update my thoughts a bit.....
I originally fed "Z-ridges". They were on sale because they were being discontinued and replaced with "Z-Bones", a product that had a different name and packaging, but I was told was an identical formula.
Here's the issue --> the flavor I tried was "Original Fresh Breath". I haven't been able to find it in the "new" product, and I've been told several of the "old" flavors have been discontinued. The only flavors I can find are ones like "carrot", "apple" etc. The ingredient lists ARE very similar, but the products with the "extra" flavorings break down much quicker and seem softer than the one I originally tried. And when I say broke down faster.......it takes her 5 min or less to get through the new one compared to 20 or more minutes for the original product. I think it's because the flavoring ingredients break up the product enough that it doesn't hold together the same. Could it also be because of the addition of tapioca? I'm not sure, but at least until I can find a flavor that behaves more like the original fresh breath I originally tried, I'm not sure I can whole-heartedly recommend this product, and I'm not sure it's worth the cost to regularly feed. Very disappointing how differently the "new" product performed (how long it lasted, perception of the "roughness" of the chewed surface etc.)
Here's the ingredient list for the product I originally fed: (Original Fresh Breath)
Potato starch
Vegetable glycerin
Cellulose fiber
Alfalfa concentrate
Natural flavor
Lecithin
Whey
Vanilla extract
Clove powder
Parsley powder
Nutmeg powder
fennel seed powder
Here's the ingredient list for the new "Z-bone" product: (Clean Carrot Crunch)
Potato starch
tapioca
Vegetable glycerin
Carrot
Pumpkin
Alfalfa concentrate
Cellulose fiber
Beta carotene
Lecithin
Natural flavor
Parsley
Ground clove
Rosemary extract
Fennel seed powder
vanilla extract
Calcium propionate
Zinc propionate
I'm going to contact the company and see what they say.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Happy I gotcha anniversay!!!!!
One year ago Matt drove me to Oregon (and back in one day!) to pick up Tess in the rain. She was a scrawny little thing with ears that drug in her food dish a definite opinion about life. Not content to cuddle on my lap, she perferred launching herself, jumping bean style, at the dashboard to better see the scenery. As much as I wanted a cuddly puppy on my lap, except for a few precious minutes here and there, she wanted to be in constant motion sniffing and exploring her world.
Oh, how little has changed.
As I look through my pictures I've taken over the past year, the vast majority are of Tess asleep...
It's not that she isn't cute when she's awake, it's just that catching her awake AND not moving at the speed of light is hardly possible --> and she's just so darn much fun that I'm usually too busy singing and dancing and tugging and jumping....and generally having a BALL with my puppy to pick up a camera and capture the moment.
I find that when I show off pictures of my pets, I tend to chose the same favorite ones over and over. So, instead, for this special anniversary, my pictures have a theme.
I present to you, my favorite sleeping pictures of Tess from our first year. (in no particular order).
On the way home from Oregon. The toy pictured came from a group of gifts given to me by my co-workers at my job I had left the day before. When asked what I wanted, I replied "puppy stuff".
My recliner --> somehow when it's YOUR dog on the furniture it isn't nearly as bad as someone ELSE'S dog on the furniture.
At the AERC convention
On the way to school. A more unusual position.....
Yesterday. In the truck.
An now for a close up.....(her ear hair looks funny because I let her play with Reed and he slobbered all over her).
Another pic from the trip home from Oregon.
My absolute favorite pic of Tess. Taken the first day we were home. I made the bed she's laying on :).
With another toy from my co-worker
Her favorite pal, Reed.
Why won't she cuddle with ME like that!?
At my aunts house over the summer. By this time I figured out she didn't like hard surfaces, so there's a pile of towels for her to lay on.
Can you pick her out?
Her first service dog outing.
Camping again.
More at the aunts house
Not technically sleeping and a pretty awful picture.....but it's sweet. It's late at night and she's keeping an eye on me.
Oh, how little has changed.
As I look through my pictures I've taken over the past year, the vast majority are of Tess asleep...
It's not that she isn't cute when she's awake, it's just that catching her awake AND not moving at the speed of light is hardly possible --> and she's just so darn much fun that I'm usually too busy singing and dancing and tugging and jumping....and generally having a BALL with my puppy to pick up a camera and capture the moment.
I find that when I show off pictures of my pets, I tend to chose the same favorite ones over and over. So, instead, for this special anniversary, my pictures have a theme.
I present to you, my favorite sleeping pictures of Tess from our first year. (in no particular order).
On the way home from Oregon. The toy pictured came from a group of gifts given to me by my co-workers at my job I had left the day before. When asked what I wanted, I replied "puppy stuff".
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Dog Bite Prevention Week
Dog bite prevention week is coming up!!!!! In that theme, I have several recommended links.
Those of you on facebook saw me post this earlier this week
And here's an excellent post on dogs and children.
I. HATE. GETTING. BIT.
I've never had a serious bite. Most of it is psychological fear thinking about GETTING bit. I don't have a tragic story to share or even a particularly amusing anecedote. I just absolute hate the idea of getting bit by a dog (or a parrot. And probably reptiles. I'm working an exotics rotation tomorrow so I'll let you know).
I'm not a dog person, yet I have a dog I love, so I'm sensitive that not everyone welcomes my dog in their space (whether from fear, personal preference etc.). Tess is unlikely to bite anyone EVER, but I still do games and "tricks" and watch her carefully in public to protect her and people who might want to pet her. Any dog can bite under the right circumstances.
I carefully watch dogs in public, especially if the owner seems especially unaware and the dog is stressed or showing anxiety, or engaging in behaviors that signal a dog that isn't under control, like straining against the leash. Yes, it might be because they are "just so friendly and just want to stay hi....." but an over excited dog straining against the leash shows a lack of control and head on greetings on a tight leash, whether dog-dog or dog-human is asking for trouble. :).
Be safe, be aware, and please share your favorite story, picture, or post for bite week.
Those of you on facebook saw me post this earlier this week
And here's an excellent post on dogs and children.
I. HATE. GETTING. BIT.
I've never had a serious bite. Most of it is psychological fear thinking about GETTING bit. I don't have a tragic story to share or even a particularly amusing anecedote. I just absolute hate the idea of getting bit by a dog (or a parrot. And probably reptiles. I'm working an exotics rotation tomorrow so I'll let you know).
I'm not a dog person, yet I have a dog I love, so I'm sensitive that not everyone welcomes my dog in their space (whether from fear, personal preference etc.). Tess is unlikely to bite anyone EVER, but I still do games and "tricks" and watch her carefully in public to protect her and people who might want to pet her. Any dog can bite under the right circumstances.
I carefully watch dogs in public, especially if the owner seems especially unaware and the dog is stressed or showing anxiety, or engaging in behaviors that signal a dog that isn't under control, like straining against the leash. Yes, it might be because they are "just so friendly and just want to stay hi....." but an over excited dog straining against the leash shows a lack of control and head on greetings on a tight leash, whether dog-dog or dog-human is asking for trouble. :).
Be safe, be aware, and please share your favorite story, picture, or post for bite week.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Kong Stuffers
I use a lot of kongs and food toys to keep my busy not-so-much-a-puppy-any-more's mind engaged, and distracted from her neferious plan of world domination. Or at least the "kingdom of bird" domination.
As both a reminder to myself AND to provide ideas to others, I'm going to post stuffer recipies that I was really happy with.
**Please note that they worked for my dog and me, but may not work for your dog. I'm lucky to have a dog with a stomach made of iron. Thus diarrhea and vomiting are unlikely no matter what crazy stuff I throw at her, and yes, I do feed my dog "people food". Portion control is key, use common sense of dogs condition and activity level when choosing your food stuffs. Your mileage may vary.
General guidelines:
I like freezing the whole kong after stuffing it, so most of the recipes are frozen --> although they don't have to be. It just makes them last just a little bit longer....while still making it possible for the dog to the food if they work at it, because it gets easier as it melts.
Another option to make up "discs" of soft food that freezes hard that can be forced into the mouth of the kong. This is a good option if I want to feed less in a kong, BUT still don't want it to be too easy to get the food out, at least in the beginning.
2-3 layers is good for stuffing.
Specific stuffs:
-2 of any of the following: cottage cheese or yogurt (I like plain), rice, applesauce (non-sweetened).
-Canned food with chunks of meat in a "gravy" (like Taste of the Wild). Smear peanut butter on the small hole. Loosely fill the kong with the chunks of meat and the drippings, fill with water and freeze solid (1-2 days). Meat chunks are easier to get out, but must work thorugh the gravy flavored ice. This recipe lasted HOURS and she didn't get frustrated with it and give up.
-Chunky cut up fruits and veggies like apples, carrots, bananas. A bit of peanut butter smeared on the inside of the kong and across small hole. Fill with water and freeze. Or mix in yogart/canned food and freeze.
As I come across other combinations that I like, I will post!
As both a reminder to myself AND to provide ideas to others, I'm going to post stuffer recipies that I was really happy with.
**Please note that they worked for my dog and me, but may not work for your dog. I'm lucky to have a dog with a stomach made of iron. Thus diarrhea and vomiting are unlikely no matter what crazy stuff I throw at her, and yes, I do feed my dog "people food". Portion control is key, use common sense of dogs condition and activity level when choosing your food stuffs. Your mileage may vary.
General guidelines:
I like freezing the whole kong after stuffing it, so most of the recipes are frozen --> although they don't have to be. It just makes them last just a little bit longer....while still making it possible for the dog to the food if they work at it, because it gets easier as it melts.
Another option to make up "discs" of soft food that freezes hard that can be forced into the mouth of the kong. This is a good option if I want to feed less in a kong, BUT still don't want it to be too easy to get the food out, at least in the beginning.
2-3 layers is good for stuffing.
Specific stuffs:
-2 of any of the following: cottage cheese or yogurt (I like plain), rice, applesauce (non-sweetened).
-Canned food with chunks of meat in a "gravy" (like Taste of the Wild). Smear peanut butter on the small hole. Loosely fill the kong with the chunks of meat and the drippings, fill with water and freeze solid (1-2 days). Meat chunks are easier to get out, but must work thorugh the gravy flavored ice. This recipe lasted HOURS and she didn't get frustrated with it and give up.
-Chunky cut up fruits and veggies like apples, carrots, bananas. A bit of peanut butter smeared on the inside of the kong and across small hole. Fill with water and freeze. Or mix in yogart/canned food and freeze.
As I come across other combinations that I like, I will post!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Treats for Dental Health? Greenie Review
After watching Tess come out of anesthesia and how miserable she was, AND knowing the dental health IS important to overall health of both animals and humans....I'm really interested in NOT subjecting my dog to any procedures that require her to be knocked out than what is strictly necessary.
I don't brush Tess's teeth. See my comments on the nail-trimming post...Eventually I will be able to handle her mouth, have her open it on command etc --> but in the meantime it's a battle that I do not need at this point in our training.
So, I need other options.
I give her plenty to chew on - but she's a powerful chewer (even for a 30 pound dog) so I have to chose carefully. For example, nylabone dental chews (blue bone with nubbies) is one of her favorites......but she can destroy one in just a couple of hours, and can tear off big enough chunks to give her diarrhea and vomiting......The only chew products that are tough enough for sustained chewing are also too hard for them to do an effective job cleaning the teeth and gums. I also worry about how hard they are that they might actually do damage to soft tissue in her mouth. Any soft toys are instantly destroyed before my eyes and destuffed before I can blink twice.
Some people swear by rawhides and other edible chews. Tess snarfs them as fast as possible and I've had to pull more than a couple out of her throat and every time I take one away because it's getting to a "snarffing" stage it increases the value of that rawhide because she knows she only gets it for a limited time and she snarfs it even faster. She's very food motivated and its hard to convince her I have ANYTHING of larger value than the rawhide that she possesses.
So, I decided to try a dental chew product, like greenies.
In fact, I tried exactly that: greenies.
They have a couple of things in their favor. They were developed by a vet, they are recommended by vets, they are certified by a dental pet organization and they've been around for a while.
So, I bought a month's supply.
Especially because they are pricey and have to be fed at least 5 days/week to be effective, I wanted to evaluate them critically. Do they really work? Was this good money spent? Will feeding this product once a day do something else to my dog nutritionally that is unintended?
I did some internet research. I was esepcially concerned that there seemed to be NO data supporting their claim that when regularly fed they improved dental health....except perhaps keeping breath fresh, which is the least of my concerns (although it can be a small indicator of oral health).
It looks like there were some concerns over the digestibility of greenies and a possible risk of GI obstructions - but greenies had been reformulated recently and were much more digestable, including being able to dissolve/be soft in glass of water over night. This at first reassured me - but I was also confused how something the consistency of a gummy was helping to keep her teeth clean.....
Especially something she didn't exactly spend anytime chomping down on and swallowing.
Then I learned something else. Greenies was recently bought by the "Mars" company (yes --> that Mars company you are familiar with in the human world) and the product was immediately reformulated (to be the more gummy texture I had noticed). Additionally, wheat - which I believe was absent before - is now like the 2nd ingredient on the label.
And folks, unless I've missed something major, that's the final nail in the Greenie coffin for me. No clear evidence or explaining of how this product works to promote oral health, the product is eaten in under one minute with no apparent oral effort, and it contains a significant amount of wheat.
I started to look for something else.
Zeke's brand dental chews were on sale at the local pet store so I picked up a back. Once called "Z-ridges" I believe they are now called "Z-bones". Same formulation, but different name and packaging. Wheat and corn free, it takes Tess 1/2 hour to get through one. The texture is a mix of hardness that breaks off in tiny chunks when aggressively chewed that are rough enough to create some abrasion, but soft enough not to do damage.
I will admit that it looked tasty enough that I stole a little chunk from Tess and tried it. :) It was good. Hard but chewy at the same time --> didn't get gummy. Actually a pleasant flavor. Made me wonder if I ate one I too could have shiny teeth without having to expend any actual effort. :).
Overall I'm really pleased with the Zeke bones and while I probably can't afford to feed them on a regular basis, I'll do my best to feed regularly enough to make a difference.
If I was really brave I'd just give her a raw drumstick or wing or something and let that do its work....but I'm a wimp :)
I don't brush Tess's teeth. See my comments on the nail-trimming post...Eventually I will be able to handle her mouth, have her open it on command etc --> but in the meantime it's a battle that I do not need at this point in our training.
So, I need other options.
I give her plenty to chew on - but she's a powerful chewer (even for a 30 pound dog) so I have to chose carefully. For example, nylabone dental chews (blue bone with nubbies) is one of her favorites......but she can destroy one in just a couple of hours, and can tear off big enough chunks to give her diarrhea and vomiting......The only chew products that are tough enough for sustained chewing are also too hard for them to do an effective job cleaning the teeth and gums. I also worry about how hard they are that they might actually do damage to soft tissue in her mouth. Any soft toys are instantly destroyed before my eyes and destuffed before I can blink twice.
Some people swear by rawhides and other edible chews. Tess snarfs them as fast as possible and I've had to pull more than a couple out of her throat and every time I take one away because it's getting to a "snarffing" stage it increases the value of that rawhide because she knows she only gets it for a limited time and she snarfs it even faster. She's very food motivated and its hard to convince her I have ANYTHING of larger value than the rawhide that she possesses.
So, I decided to try a dental chew product, like greenies.
In fact, I tried exactly that: greenies.
They have a couple of things in their favor. They were developed by a vet, they are recommended by vets, they are certified by a dental pet organization and they've been around for a while.
So, I bought a month's supply.
Especially because they are pricey and have to be fed at least 5 days/week to be effective, I wanted to evaluate them critically. Do they really work? Was this good money spent? Will feeding this product once a day do something else to my dog nutritionally that is unintended?
I did some internet research. I was esepcially concerned that there seemed to be NO data supporting their claim that when regularly fed they improved dental health....except perhaps keeping breath fresh, which is the least of my concerns (although it can be a small indicator of oral health).
It looks like there were some concerns over the digestibility of greenies and a possible risk of GI obstructions - but greenies had been reformulated recently and were much more digestable, including being able to dissolve/be soft in glass of water over night. This at first reassured me - but I was also confused how something the consistency of a gummy was helping to keep her teeth clean.....
Especially something she didn't exactly spend anytime chomping down on and swallowing.
Then I learned something else. Greenies was recently bought by the "Mars" company (yes --> that Mars company you are familiar with in the human world) and the product was immediately reformulated (to be the more gummy texture I had noticed). Additionally, wheat - which I believe was absent before - is now like the 2nd ingredient on the label.
And folks, unless I've missed something major, that's the final nail in the Greenie coffin for me. No clear evidence or explaining of how this product works to promote oral health, the product is eaten in under one minute with no apparent oral effort, and it contains a significant amount of wheat.
I started to look for something else.
Zeke's brand dental chews were on sale at the local pet store so I picked up a back. Once called "Z-ridges" I believe they are now called "Z-bones". Same formulation, but different name and packaging. Wheat and corn free, it takes Tess 1/2 hour to get through one. The texture is a mix of hardness that breaks off in tiny chunks when aggressively chewed that are rough enough to create some abrasion, but soft enough not to do damage.
I will admit that it looked tasty enough that I stole a little chunk from Tess and tried it. :) It was good. Hard but chewy at the same time --> didn't get gummy. Actually a pleasant flavor. Made me wonder if I ate one I too could have shiny teeth without having to expend any actual effort. :).
Overall I'm really pleased with the Zeke bones and while I probably can't afford to feed them on a regular basis, I'll do my best to feed regularly enough to make a difference.
If I was really brave I'd just give her a raw drumstick or wing or something and let that do its work....but I'm a wimp :)
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
I'm seriously scared
Tess is scary smart.
How in the world am I going to:
1. Stay ahead of the this dog as we BOTH learn agility
2. Not completely screw up this dog by inadvertently rewarding the wrong stuff.
3. Keep her little mind active enough that she doesn't start developing alternative career plans such as "official stuffed animal destroyer", or "vet" (because at this point I pretty sure she could go through vet school and pass the boards before I can).
Just had a training session where I was reminded how very fast her little mind moves.
a. We have only done 6 weave poles. She's not solid on all her entries, so we stayed there for a while. My trainer ("K") said that you don't want to stay at one place too long because they can get "stuck" so I decided to go ahead and add another 6 pole set in line and see how she did with 12 --> were our problems a lack of understanding or boredom? Ummmm.....considering she flew through the set of 12 with NO problems and actually got FASTER with BETTER foot work, I'm thinking the latter.
As that little project only took 3 minutes of my planned training session I decided to do some shaping exercises.
b. For the online clicker challenge I have a couple of tricks in mind, including her doing various figures around my legs. I decided to work on a figure 8 through my legs at a walk. This was our second session on this behavior, so of course I'm breaking it down in itty bitty steps and keeping a very high reward rate.......one BIG exaggerated SLOW step after another. After one or two trips across the room, I was ready to start another one. I stood, with Tess on my right, and my legs slightly apart. "Ready?", asked. In response Tess started doing FAST figure 8's through my only slightly parted legs, as I stood there. Ummm....yeah. Very good Tess. Way to generalize. I guess we have that one down. Ummm.....how about going forward with me with your head between my knees? OK. How about backing up with me keeping your head is between my knees? Ummm....I guess that's it for today.
Tess is VERY good about generalizing. This is bad, this is good. It means that any errors in my training instantly carry over to all sorts of behaviors. It means letting her break a control behavior (like house, sit, down, stand) at ANY time IMMEDIATELY transfers to training. It also means that a skill learned on a "transition" object like a travel plank for contacts instantly transfers to obstacles. It definitely keeps me on my toes and I quickly know whether I've screwed up somewhere......
Whew....sometimes I think I got a Border Collie with floppy ears. Who likes birds instead of sheep. And prefers to focus on birds instead of me. Without a tail. And without fear.
And by the way - having done exercises with friends, clicker training each other through shaping (friend has handful of m&m's and clicker. Without luring, tries to shape a behavior in other person), I know from personal experience it is not the easiest thing to figure out how to get those m&ms!!!!!! I'm in awe of how FAST Tess can figure out what I want. That's genius right there....
How in the world am I going to:
1. Stay ahead of the this dog as we BOTH learn agility
2. Not completely screw up this dog by inadvertently rewarding the wrong stuff.
3. Keep her little mind active enough that she doesn't start developing alternative career plans such as "official stuffed animal destroyer", or "vet" (because at this point I pretty sure she could go through vet school and pass the boards before I can).
Just had a training session where I was reminded how very fast her little mind moves.
a. We have only done 6 weave poles. She's not solid on all her entries, so we stayed there for a while. My trainer ("K") said that you don't want to stay at one place too long because they can get "stuck" so I decided to go ahead and add another 6 pole set in line and see how she did with 12 --> were our problems a lack of understanding or boredom? Ummmm.....considering she flew through the set of 12 with NO problems and actually got FASTER with BETTER foot work, I'm thinking the latter.
As that little project only took 3 minutes of my planned training session I decided to do some shaping exercises.
b. For the online clicker challenge I have a couple of tricks in mind, including her doing various figures around my legs. I decided to work on a figure 8 through my legs at a walk. This was our second session on this behavior, so of course I'm breaking it down in itty bitty steps and keeping a very high reward rate.......one BIG exaggerated SLOW step after another. After one or two trips across the room, I was ready to start another one. I stood, with Tess on my right, and my legs slightly apart. "Ready?", asked. In response Tess started doing FAST figure 8's through my only slightly parted legs, as I stood there. Ummm....yeah. Very good Tess. Way to generalize. I guess we have that one down. Ummm.....how about going forward with me with your head between my knees? OK. How about backing up with me keeping your head is between my knees? Ummm....I guess that's it for today.
Tess is VERY good about generalizing. This is bad, this is good. It means that any errors in my training instantly carry over to all sorts of behaviors. It means letting her break a control behavior (like house, sit, down, stand) at ANY time IMMEDIATELY transfers to training. It also means that a skill learned on a "transition" object like a travel plank for contacts instantly transfers to obstacles. It definitely keeps me on my toes and I quickly know whether I've screwed up somewhere......
Whew....sometimes I think I got a Border Collie with floppy ears. Who likes birds instead of sheep. And prefers to focus on birds instead of me. Without a tail. And without fear.
And by the way - having done exercises with friends, clicker training each other through shaping (friend has handful of m&m's and clicker. Without luring, tries to shape a behavior in other person), I know from personal experience it is not the easiest thing to figure out how to get those m&ms!!!!!! I'm in awe of how FAST Tess can figure out what I want. That's genius right there....
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
An Online Challenge
Here's a fun online challenge if you are out of ideas of what to teach your dog next!
Join the facebook group here (if you have trouble, email me with your name and I will invite you from the facebook page), and then take a look at the challenges set on the youtube channel.
Read the details on facebook, but in a nutshell it looks like you chose a challenge and then post a video response of your dog doing then trick. You can also "set" a challenge by emailing a video to the event organizer (see the facebook page). The goal is to teach your dog as many tricks as possible in a year (cut off is April 30, 2013). Please note the focus is teaching your dog to do these tricks using POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.
I suppose technically there are points and such for setting challenges and completing challenges, but even as competitive as I am --> I'm just looking forward to some inspiration over the next year.
Join the facebook group here (if you have trouble, email me with your name and I will invite you from the facebook page), and then take a look at the challenges set on the youtube channel.
Read the details on facebook, but in a nutshell it looks like you chose a challenge and then post a video response of your dog doing then trick. You can also "set" a challenge by emailing a video to the event organizer (see the facebook page). The goal is to teach your dog as many tricks as possible in a year (cut off is April 30, 2013). Please note the focus is teaching your dog to do these tricks using POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.
I suppose technically there are points and such for setting challenges and completing challenges, but even as competitive as I am --> I'm just looking forward to some inspiration over the next year.
Resource page has been updated
I have added some books, vidoes, youtube channels and websites to the resource page.
As always, if you have a favorite that isn't listed, let me know! I don't necessarily add resources I haven't personally reviewed - but I'll put it on my "to read/watch" list!
As always, if you have a favorite that isn't listed, let me know! I don't necessarily add resources I haven't personally reviewed - but I'll put it on my "to read/watch" list!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Training Tess 4-20-12 "Nail trimming"
This week's training video is up!
FYI - I've started to include my initials "mnf" at the end of all my videos so it should be easy to search youtube and find my videos.
This week I videoed Tess's nail trim.
BTW - I have no idea what the audio sounds like in this video because I uploaded it and annotated it in class on mute! Audio wasn't important for this session anyways.
Tess really resents any kind of restraint or "man handling". Unfortuantley she's also very reactive to having her nails trimmed. I'm not sure what she doesn't like about it - probably the requirement that she has to be reasonably still and not bouncing around, and the fact she's being touched, and maybe she just has really sensitive nails? Today is the first time I quicked her (pre-video - I clipped the video so just a portion of the nail trim is shown), there's no reason for there to be a negative/pain association with clipping.
I've been trimming her nails while she's on her back and it goes MUCH better. She associates being on her back with all sorts of games we play. I'm not asking her to roll on her back for the session - I'm placing her in position - because I don't want to associate the "on your back" command with nail sessions for now.
Another important note is that the point of the session is desensitization/counter conditioning (DS/CC) - NOT training. Thus, I'm not rewarding her for a specific behavior during the session - I'm trying to change her emotional response to nail training from a negative thing, to a positive thing. Ideally, I would be giving her treats when I was actually trimming the nail, but not having 3 arms (nor 2 heads incidentally) she's getting treated between trimming the nail. Sometimes I ask my partner to help me and the timing is much better (he feeds as I trim).
Between each foot she gets a play break to work off any stress that has accumulated and to let her know that this is a fun game!
On her back she's not really restrained. I've placed her in position and she's holding it voluntary based on the support of my legs. I'm teaching her to accept restraint, and to roll into position - but again, 2 things that I'm working on APART from nail trimming, since the act of nail trimming has such a negative connotation for her.
Based on my experience with Tess, I'm not sure that regularly handling puppy nails and feet, and doing nail trims young necessarily guarantees you a dog that doesn't resent nail trims as an adult. I was very conscious of doing the "right" handling things with Tess as a puppy - nails, teeth, restraint - and I've come to the conclusion that the dog's cooperation with those activities is partly based on their personality. My hope is through DS/CC and a positive approach, eventually Tess looks forward to the game of nail trimming!
FYI - I've started to include my initials "mnf" at the end of all my videos so it should be easy to search youtube and find my videos.
This week I videoed Tess's nail trim.
BTW - I have no idea what the audio sounds like in this video because I uploaded it and annotated it in class on mute! Audio wasn't important for this session anyways.
Tess really resents any kind of restraint or "man handling". Unfortuantley she's also very reactive to having her nails trimmed. I'm not sure what she doesn't like about it - probably the requirement that she has to be reasonably still and not bouncing around, and the fact she's being touched, and maybe she just has really sensitive nails? Today is the first time I quicked her (pre-video - I clipped the video so just a portion of the nail trim is shown), there's no reason for there to be a negative/pain association with clipping.
I've been trimming her nails while she's on her back and it goes MUCH better. She associates being on her back with all sorts of games we play. I'm not asking her to roll on her back for the session - I'm placing her in position - because I don't want to associate the "on your back" command with nail sessions for now.
Another important note is that the point of the session is desensitization/counter conditioning (DS/CC) - NOT training. Thus, I'm not rewarding her for a specific behavior during the session - I'm trying to change her emotional response to nail training from a negative thing, to a positive thing. Ideally, I would be giving her treats when I was actually trimming the nail, but not having 3 arms (nor 2 heads incidentally) she's getting treated between trimming the nail. Sometimes I ask my partner to help me and the timing is much better (he feeds as I trim).
Between each foot she gets a play break to work off any stress that has accumulated and to let her know that this is a fun game!
On her back she's not really restrained. I've placed her in position and she's holding it voluntary based on the support of my legs. I'm teaching her to accept restraint, and to roll into position - but again, 2 things that I'm working on APART from nail trimming, since the act of nail trimming has such a negative connotation for her.
Based on my experience with Tess, I'm not sure that regularly handling puppy nails and feet, and doing nail trims young necessarily guarantees you a dog that doesn't resent nail trims as an adult. I was very conscious of doing the "right" handling things with Tess as a puppy - nails, teeth, restraint - and I've come to the conclusion that the dog's cooperation with those activities is partly based on their personality. My hope is through DS/CC and a positive approach, eventually Tess looks forward to the game of nail trimming!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
By George!
I think I've got it!
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402093940.htm
Here's the original reference:
Too dog tired to avoid danger: Self-control depletion in canines increases behavioral approach toward an aggressive threat
Holly C. Miller, C. Nathan DeWall, Kristina Pattison, Mikaël Molet and Thomas R. Zentall
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
DOI: 10.3758/s13423-012-0231-0
Here's a perfectly good explanation for some of the "zoomie" issues I'm having with Tess. She's an active, bold, independent puppy and I require a LOT of self control from her. By balancing my need for her to practice self control, and making sure that when I'm asking a lot of control from her (such as during agility practice) I haven't "depleted" my available store.
I notice that if she's been a down stay most of the day at my side, she practically explodes with energy and I'm setting her up for failure to ask for tasks that require a great deal of control. I always reward when she chooses to practice self control - but there's only so much that can be asked of 13 month old puppy who's still building that pool of self control.
I think that for now I'll be very conscious of my goal for the session in regards to self control - Am I working on increasing her amount of self control? Is it a play session to restore her brain after a long training session and thus I'll ask a minimum amount of self control? Or is it a "working" session with equipment or other tasks that require her to draw upon that reservoir of self control?
Hope this made sense - I'm still noodling it through in my mind, but I'm on the verge of an "ah-ha" moment. I think :)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402093940.htm
Here's the original reference:
Too dog tired to avoid danger: Self-control depletion in canines increases behavioral approach toward an aggressive threat
Holly C. Miller, C. Nathan DeWall, Kristina Pattison, Mikaël Molet and Thomas R. Zentall
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
DOI: 10.3758/s13423-012-0231-0
Here's a perfectly good explanation for some of the "zoomie" issues I'm having with Tess. She's an active, bold, independent puppy and I require a LOT of self control from her. By balancing my need for her to practice self control, and making sure that when I'm asking a lot of control from her (such as during agility practice) I haven't "depleted" my available store.
I notice that if she's been a down stay most of the day at my side, she practically explodes with energy and I'm setting her up for failure to ask for tasks that require a great deal of control. I always reward when she chooses to practice self control - but there's only so much that can be asked of 13 month old puppy who's still building that pool of self control.
I think that for now I'll be very conscious of my goal for the session in regards to self control - Am I working on increasing her amount of self control? Is it a play session to restore her brain after a long training session and thus I'll ask a minimum amount of self control? Or is it a "working" session with equipment or other tasks that require her to draw upon that reservoir of self control?
Hope this made sense - I'm still noodling it through in my mind, but I'm on the verge of an "ah-ha" moment. I think :)
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Training Tess 4-14-12
This week's video is up!!!
The weather was beautiful so I decided to take it to the front yard. The contact behavior I'm working on is a "developing" skill, and I need to work on it in different settings. The front yard is distracting, and the grass adds a challenge - but I felt we were up to it.
We've been working VERY hard this week on attention in the face of distraction AND playing tug with me. I've not wanted to put too many rules on toy play because rules can be de-motivating, but Tess started to have a lot of "I don't wanna so I don't hafta" moments with tug. I decided that enforcing "criteria" was different. My criteria is: she has to take the toy when I ask, she has to hold on to the toy and shift her weight to her hind end and stay engaged until I tell her to drop it. When I say "drop", she has to drop it.
Susan Garrett mentioned in her newsletter last week that not enforcing a black and white criteria is confusing for the dog and leads to puppy zoomies, shut downs, and stress. Tess was exhibiting all of these during toy play, so I concluded that the lack of an enforced black and white criteria was probably the issue.
It really sucked for 48 hours. I would ask for her to play with me at random spots (in the parking lot, in the car, prior to going outside, in the hallway etc.) and kept at it until she did a tug that met criteria. I worked HARD. She was stressed. My entire school probably thinks I'm mental because of my wild behavior throughout school grounds in an attempt to engage my dog. But I worked through every single "I don't wanna I don't hafta" moment for 2 days and then it was like a light bulb went on in her head and she now plays my tug game any where, any time with me. It was the perfect example of how not enforcing a black and white criteria can hurt your training, and you aren't being "nice" to your dog by making excuses or letting them sometimes do something and sometimes not.
After reviewing this video, I probably need to make my criteria for the board more black and white ALL the time. In the beginning because it was a new location, very distracting etc etc I didn't - I was being "nice". You can see how much more distracted she was in the beginning - not as motivated, self releasing, not releasing when asked, not as focused - as compared to the end when I actually expected her to comply with the "rules" of the game: one hind paw on the board until I say otherwise, you actually have to release when I tell you so etc.
Overall I'm really happy with this session.
A couple of notes about the session:
-I'm still too distracted at the beginning by the camera and getting the angles right. It's better than last week though!
-IYC is improving. She didn't try for the bowl more than right at the beginning, and just once.
-Need to stop "cheerleading" so much! Good girl good girl good girl.....
-Really liked that she was more engaged at the end of the session than the beginning. Actually timing sessions makes a HUGE difference.
The weather was beautiful so I decided to take it to the front yard. The contact behavior I'm working on is a "developing" skill, and I need to work on it in different settings. The front yard is distracting, and the grass adds a challenge - but I felt we were up to it.
We've been working VERY hard this week on attention in the face of distraction AND playing tug with me. I've not wanted to put too many rules on toy play because rules can be de-motivating, but Tess started to have a lot of "I don't wanna so I don't hafta" moments with tug. I decided that enforcing "criteria" was different. My criteria is: she has to take the toy when I ask, she has to hold on to the toy and shift her weight to her hind end and stay engaged until I tell her to drop it. When I say "drop", she has to drop it.
Susan Garrett mentioned in her newsletter last week that not enforcing a black and white criteria is confusing for the dog and leads to puppy zoomies, shut downs, and stress. Tess was exhibiting all of these during toy play, so I concluded that the lack of an enforced black and white criteria was probably the issue.
It really sucked for 48 hours. I would ask for her to play with me at random spots (in the parking lot, in the car, prior to going outside, in the hallway etc.) and kept at it until she did a tug that met criteria. I worked HARD. She was stressed. My entire school probably thinks I'm mental because of my wild behavior throughout school grounds in an attempt to engage my dog. But I worked through every single "I don't wanna I don't hafta" moment for 2 days and then it was like a light bulb went on in her head and she now plays my tug game any where, any time with me. It was the perfect example of how not enforcing a black and white criteria can hurt your training, and you aren't being "nice" to your dog by making excuses or letting them sometimes do something and sometimes not.
After reviewing this video, I probably need to make my criteria for the board more black and white ALL the time. In the beginning because it was a new location, very distracting etc etc I didn't - I was being "nice". You can see how much more distracted she was in the beginning - not as motivated, self releasing, not releasing when asked, not as focused - as compared to the end when I actually expected her to comply with the "rules" of the game: one hind paw on the board until I say otherwise, you actually have to release when I tell you so etc.
Overall I'm really happy with this session.
A couple of notes about the session:
-I'm still too distracted at the beginning by the camera and getting the angles right. It's better than last week though!
-IYC is improving. She didn't try for the bowl more than right at the beginning, and just once.
-Need to stop "cheerleading" so much! Good girl good girl good girl.....
-Really liked that she was more engaged at the end of the session than the beginning. Actually timing sessions makes a HUGE difference.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Parvo!!!!
Most of my "vet school revelations" end up over on the endurance blog, but today I learned a most amazing fact.
Parvo wasn't found in dogs until 1978.
WHAT???!!!???
The disease that was THE puppy disease at the clinic at worked at - what we warned our clients about, the reason we recommended that puppies be carried into the clinic and not go anywhere until they were finished with their puppy boosters (not good advice BTW - it IS possible and NECESSARY to socialize puppies before their boosters are done) - yes, the disease I lived in fear of when I had to let Tess out of the car on the way home from Oregon so that she could pee. THAT disease wasn't even in dogs until I was almost born.
There's a very similar disease in cats that causes panleukopenia. Apparently, cats having lived with this disease for a very long time, have learned to cope and do pretty well. Dogs on the other hand....well.....apparently having the disease only 30-odd years makes it pretty awful.
I knew about it coming out from both ends in the puppies, and how super infectious it is, but today I got to see the pathopysiology and let me tell you - it is not pretty.
Sure, there are other awful puppy diseases like Distemper, but to imagine a world where I don't have to worry about parvo is really hard for me. To imagine what it was like to be a practicing vet in the 70's when this disease starting hitting dogs must have been amazing (from a disease/epidemiology port of view) and awful all at the same time. It's amazing that we have such an effective vaccine against this disease that hasn't been around for very long.
It makes sense to me why there are so many vets that still recommend that puppies are completely kept out of public places until after all boosters are done - the recent memory of a parvo epidemic is still fresh. Better safe than sorry. I also understand why the "older" generation (sorry....so cliche) sometimes seems a bit oblivious to the dangers of parvo.
Veterinary Science is so cool!!!!!!!!
Parvo wasn't found in dogs until 1978.
WHAT???!!!???
The disease that was THE puppy disease at the clinic at worked at - what we warned our clients about, the reason we recommended that puppies be carried into the clinic and not go anywhere until they were finished with their puppy boosters (not good advice BTW - it IS possible and NECESSARY to socialize puppies before their boosters are done) - yes, the disease I lived in fear of when I had to let Tess out of the car on the way home from Oregon so that she could pee. THAT disease wasn't even in dogs until I was almost born.
There's a very similar disease in cats that causes panleukopenia. Apparently, cats having lived with this disease for a very long time, have learned to cope and do pretty well. Dogs on the other hand....well.....apparently having the disease only 30-odd years makes it pretty awful.
I knew about it coming out from both ends in the puppies, and how super infectious it is, but today I got to see the pathopysiology and let me tell you - it is not pretty.
Sure, there are other awful puppy diseases like Distemper, but to imagine a world where I don't have to worry about parvo is really hard for me. To imagine what it was like to be a practicing vet in the 70's when this disease starting hitting dogs must have been amazing (from a disease/epidemiology port of view) and awful all at the same time. It's amazing that we have such an effective vaccine against this disease that hasn't been around for very long.
It makes sense to me why there are so many vets that still recommend that puppies are completely kept out of public places until after all boosters are done - the recent memory of a parvo epidemic is still fresh. Better safe than sorry. I also understand why the "older" generation (sorry....so cliche) sometimes seems a bit oblivious to the dangers of parvo.
Veterinary Science is so cool!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Dog play
Recommended post
When I got Tess, I didn't really know how to just play with a dog. I had read all sorts of books and I knew I wanted to do agility, but I really didn't know what it looked like to train an agility dog, and I had all sorts of "have-to's" and "nevers" floating around in my head. Things like:
-never play tug with your dog and never let them win if you do.
-let them blow off steam and make sure they are tired when you start your training sessions
-make sure you are the dominant animal in the relationship.
-don't rely on treats because your commands will be "tricks"
-Using a head collar or other training "device" to teach leash walking means you failed.
Of course I got good advice too:
-get a puppy when you can spend a lot of time with in in the first couple of months (I quit my job early, and spent the first FOUR months with Tess at home without a job or school).
-crate training is essential
-puppy is in the crate when it isn't being directly watched or interacted with
-use the gastro-reflex, crate training, control of food and water etc. to house-train. House training must be 100% positive.
-Make sure the puppy has a wide variety of toys that fit different needs.
I knew I would be getting a puppy from Tess's litter before they were born - so I had LOTS of time to plan and think and read. I decided early on that no matter what I was reading, I would train my recall using treats. I had seen some research that said that behaviors trained with treats tend to "stick" better, especially if you randomly treat. Recall is so important to me, I decided I would do whatever was necessary to make it 100%, and it looked like positive training with treats was the answer.
After the first 3 days, realized I had a bigger problem.
My puppy didn't like me. Didn't see any value in checking in with me, being around me, or hanging out with me. She didn't see any value in me other than when I said "come", and then it was a quick dash away. She didn't like being petted, didn't care about verbal praise. Alternatively, she saw LOTS of value in Reed, the golden retriever.
I decided that step one wasn't getting her to sit, down, or even come. The first step was building a relationship.
The good thing was that she was very very VERY food motivated. (And toy motivated until she discovered I wouldn't play tug with her. )
I made my decision then that I would use treats. Lots of treats (actually, mostly her kibble, deducted from her meal). Every time she looked at me I threw her kibble. Every time she came up to me, I threw her kibble. Every time she acknowledged me, I threw her kibble.
Looking back, I'm not sure what prompted me to depart radically from what I had preached to family members and friends and jump "off the deep end" in regards to food, treats, and what the human-dog relationship should look like. I'm eternally grateful for whatever little trigger occurred because I firmly believe that if I hadn't made that change when I did, I wouldn't have the companion I have now.
So now I had a puppy that actual had some value for me. But she still wasn't interacting me like I had dreamed she would. My model of course was Reed (Golden Retriever) who had spent his entire puppy hood (and adult hood, if you must know), GLUED to someone's side and seemed to derive his entire satisfaction from life from "his people". Can you believe I actually thought I would get a dog like this by choosing whatever breed from the AKC sporting group? *shakes head*. Of course, I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun, or learned as much if I had!
Anyway - I digress.....I spent my afternoons in the back yard sipping wine and watching the puppies play (ah the delights of a summer off....). I had no concept of how to play with a dog or puppy beyond fetch - a delightful activity that none of my childhood dogs - but I knew that it was an important piece of the relationship puzzle. Tess LOVES Reed and so I started to observe HOW they played. How the engaged each other, their body language, the actual play, how they communicated intentions.
And then I tried to mimic it.
We left toys out of the picture - I still didn't know that tug was OK - but I started to get on the floor and just play.
Oh sure - we worked on sit, come, down, stay etc. - but we spent far more time on the floor wrestling and running and rolling and being silly. And guess what? My puppy started to like me, to choose to be with me, and see me as a source of good and fun things. And that's when we could start to work on those other behaviors like come, sit, and down. Relationship comes first.
After starting school and meeting agility people and other dog trainers, I realized the benefits of positive training, tug, treats etc. and I was ever so grateful I had decided to through my conventions out the window and listen to my dog.
BTW - Relationship STILL comes first. If I'm having a problem, especially as it relates to recall or leash work, it's time for a relationship check. Will she tug with me? Chose to play with me? On Sunday afternoon I got frustrated during a training session and among other things, put her in a forcible down stay. It was unfair of me, and Tess knew it. I spent the next 24 hours doing damage control on our relationship. Oh sure, she still listened and responded when I said "sit", "down", "come", "weave", "bow", "pout",.....but the she was not thrilled to please and play with me. Whereas before she would do ANYTHING to get me to notice her and initiate play, now she suddenly found anything more interesting to me - including grass, mud, and the cat. Only after 24 hours of relationship games was the relationship repaired to the point where Tess once again chose me over the environment, and was a willing, engaged partner. The more I pay attention to and evaluate relationship, the more successful I am in training tasks, tricks, responsiveness, drive, and motivation.
Susan's blog (linked above) talks about watching 2 dogs in play in order to gain insights have how they play. I often use this trick. Last fall, after realizing that I needed to teach Tess how to tug (since I had all but extinguished that behavior) I watched her tug with Reed to discover how she liked to play with the toy and then tried to mimic that.
Tess considers off-leash play with Reed the highest form of reward. And yes, since they are both toy motivated, it sometimes includes a rope or other toy. Their play is always supervised more because I can learn an enormous amount about behavior and motivation than because of any real danger to either dog (not to mention it's a training opportunity for recalls and a reminder to Tess that this high value reward came from me).
My advice if you are having problems with your dog is to watch them. What do they like? When do they take their naps? what is their favorite toy? What is their favorite way of playing with it? How do they prefer to initiate play? Training isn't necessarily bowing to every wish and whim of your dog - but understanding their needs, wants, and motivations is the first step towards shaping a relationship of your choice.
When I got Tess, I didn't really know how to just play with a dog. I had read all sorts of books and I knew I wanted to do agility, but I really didn't know what it looked like to train an agility dog, and I had all sorts of "have-to's" and "nevers" floating around in my head. Things like:
-never play tug with your dog and never let them win if you do.
-let them blow off steam and make sure they are tired when you start your training sessions
-make sure you are the dominant animal in the relationship.
-don't rely on treats because your commands will be "tricks"
-Using a head collar or other training "device" to teach leash walking means you failed.
Of course I got good advice too:
-get a puppy when you can spend a lot of time with in in the first couple of months (I quit my job early, and spent the first FOUR months with Tess at home without a job or school).
-crate training is essential
-puppy is in the crate when it isn't being directly watched or interacted with
-use the gastro-reflex, crate training, control of food and water etc. to house-train. House training must be 100% positive.
-Make sure the puppy has a wide variety of toys that fit different needs.
I knew I would be getting a puppy from Tess's litter before they were born - so I had LOTS of time to plan and think and read. I decided early on that no matter what I was reading, I would train my recall using treats. I had seen some research that said that behaviors trained with treats tend to "stick" better, especially if you randomly treat. Recall is so important to me, I decided I would do whatever was necessary to make it 100%, and it looked like positive training with treats was the answer.
After the first 3 days, realized I had a bigger problem.
My puppy didn't like me. Didn't see any value in checking in with me, being around me, or hanging out with me. She didn't see any value in me other than when I said "come", and then it was a quick dash away. She didn't like being petted, didn't care about verbal praise. Alternatively, she saw LOTS of value in Reed, the golden retriever.
I decided that step one wasn't getting her to sit, down, or even come. The first step was building a relationship.
The good thing was that she was very very VERY food motivated. (And toy motivated until she discovered I wouldn't play tug with her. )
I made my decision then that I would use treats. Lots of treats (actually, mostly her kibble, deducted from her meal). Every time she looked at me I threw her kibble. Every time she came up to me, I threw her kibble. Every time she acknowledged me, I threw her kibble.
Looking back, I'm not sure what prompted me to depart radically from what I had preached to family members and friends and jump "off the deep end" in regards to food, treats, and what the human-dog relationship should look like. I'm eternally grateful for whatever little trigger occurred because I firmly believe that if I hadn't made that change when I did, I wouldn't have the companion I have now.
So now I had a puppy that actual had some value for me. But she still wasn't interacting me like I had dreamed she would. My model of course was Reed (Golden Retriever) who had spent his entire puppy hood (and adult hood, if you must know), GLUED to someone's side and seemed to derive his entire satisfaction from life from "his people". Can you believe I actually thought I would get a dog like this by choosing whatever breed from the AKC sporting group? *shakes head*. Of course, I wouldn't have had nearly as much fun, or learned as much if I had!
Anyway - I digress.....I spent my afternoons in the back yard sipping wine and watching the puppies play (ah the delights of a summer off....). I had no concept of how to play with a dog or puppy beyond fetch - a delightful activity that none of my childhood dogs - but I knew that it was an important piece of the relationship puzzle. Tess LOVES Reed and so I started to observe HOW they played. How the engaged each other, their body language, the actual play, how they communicated intentions.
And then I tried to mimic it.
We left toys out of the picture - I still didn't know that tug was OK - but I started to get on the floor and just play.
Oh sure - we worked on sit, come, down, stay etc. - but we spent far more time on the floor wrestling and running and rolling and being silly. And guess what? My puppy started to like me, to choose to be with me, and see me as a source of good and fun things. And that's when we could start to work on those other behaviors like come, sit, and down. Relationship comes first.
After starting school and meeting agility people and other dog trainers, I realized the benefits of positive training, tug, treats etc. and I was ever so grateful I had decided to through my conventions out the window and listen to my dog.
BTW - Relationship STILL comes first. If I'm having a problem, especially as it relates to recall or leash work, it's time for a relationship check. Will she tug with me? Chose to play with me? On Sunday afternoon I got frustrated during a training session and among other things, put her in a forcible down stay. It was unfair of me, and Tess knew it. I spent the next 24 hours doing damage control on our relationship. Oh sure, she still listened and responded when I said "sit", "down", "come", "weave", "bow", "pout",.....but the she was not thrilled to please and play with me. Whereas before she would do ANYTHING to get me to notice her and initiate play, now she suddenly found anything more interesting to me - including grass, mud, and the cat. Only after 24 hours of relationship games was the relationship repaired to the point where Tess once again chose me over the environment, and was a willing, engaged partner. The more I pay attention to and evaluate relationship, the more successful I am in training tasks, tricks, responsiveness, drive, and motivation.
Susan's blog (linked above) talks about watching 2 dogs in play in order to gain insights have how they play. I often use this trick. Last fall, after realizing that I needed to teach Tess how to tug (since I had all but extinguished that behavior) I watched her tug with Reed to discover how she liked to play with the toy and then tried to mimic that.
Tess considers off-leash play with Reed the highest form of reward. And yes, since they are both toy motivated, it sometimes includes a rope or other toy. Their play is always supervised more because I can learn an enormous amount about behavior and motivation than because of any real danger to either dog (not to mention it's a training opportunity for recalls and a reminder to Tess that this high value reward came from me).
My advice if you are having problems with your dog is to watch them. What do they like? When do they take their naps? what is their favorite toy? What is their favorite way of playing with it? How do they prefer to initiate play? Training isn't necessarily bowing to every wish and whim of your dog - but understanding their needs, wants, and motivations is the first step towards shaping a relationship of your choice.
Monday, April 9, 2012
4-8-12 Training Session
Part of my weekly goals is to record one training session. It's really helpful for me to evaluate myself, and it's good experience to "be in the spotlight" since eventually my plan is to compete with Tess. There's something about having someone watch you, even if it's a video camera, that makes everything go screwy.....
Today's session is uploaded to youtube and includes notes. (it's hard to see the notes unless you blow it up to full screen - sorry about that).
For some reason recording sessions makes me REALLY distracted and Tess can sense that my attention is divided.....as a result she isn't as focused or motivated.
This was the first part/skill of the session - I went on to let her play with the ball, and do some other toy related stuff, and a session of Yer choice since she was SO distracted by the treat bowel (had cooked sausage in it for recalls among other tasty things) but this was the best part of the session and so just chose to share this. Letting her play with obstacles (like the ball) really revs her up, so I probably should have "sandwiched" the shaping session (although this was more of a luring session), between 2 high drive obstacle exercises instead of putting the shaping first.
Why did I chose to lure her into going under my legs instead of pure shaping? We've been doing a lot of shaping and I didn't want her to get confused that I was asking for something new. I did fade the lure as fast as I could - if you notice, there was not luring after the initial introduction to the activity.
I forgot to set my timer for the session - as a result, as you can see by the length of the video, the session ran 6 minutes instead of my planned 3-4 minutes. It's VERY difficult to judge the length of time without a beep every minute or so.
As a side note, some of you may be wondering why I'm bother to teach something like this? A couple of reasons:
1. Yet another fun thing we can do together that engages Tess and teaches her that I'm the "best cookie" in the world.
2. Yet another thing that engages her brain and causes her to think about something
3. Stretches and uses her body in a different way. I ask her to do many physically challenging things and I try to balance those skills with tricks and activities that stretch her muscles. Jumping and running the A-frame requires strength - but it's not the best way to build strength because you can injure the dog - so I do alternative strength activies (and related stretching) to gain a level of fitness so that Tess can learn the technique of jumping. I use the peanut ball for ab strength training, this crawling behavior to stretch afterwards, handstands to strengthen the back, yoga for stretching etc.
Things I really like about this video:
-even though I was distracted, Tess stayed fairly engaged throughout. She had one moment of running into the kitchen instead of retrieving - but she didn't do any sniffing stuff. She was sorta in "slow-mo" mode, but now that I realized that I should have put a higher drive game on either side of the new shaping session, that makes sense. And I can see how distracted I was - it's obvious I'm splitting my attention between Tess, the camera, and where to put the feed bowl. Tess can definitely tell.....
-I was pretty consistent about not treating for behavior that was "close" but not criteria.
-I realized after watching the video that Tess is all grown up!
What needs to be improved:
-early in the behavior I'm clicking too late
-More Yer choice in the beginning of the session if realize the treat bowl is going to be a problem.
-Figure out where I'm going to put the treats BEFORE I start the session. Even though I was good about getting everything staged before the session, that was the one thing I hadn't thought out.
-Should have used the crate games, or some other relationship game other than just toy play between the shaping. I didn't have enough room to really throw or play and I was trying to manage the treat bowl, the ball, and the camera at the same time.
-I need to stop worrying about whether the camera angle etc. is good. In this case I did 3 things and 1 of them came out good enough to share. Chances are, if I just act normal and go about my training "normally" I'll get one or two things good enough to share.
-Use a timer EVERY time.
Overall I give this session a "C".
The best thing about doing a video analysis of the session......
it was really really really helpful to see and it's going to make it easier for me to do it better at the next session. I do an indepth analysis of each session that I write in a training journal....BUT there's nothing like seeing a video of yourself and making a commitment to post in a public place to make the lessons sink in. I think taping myself on a regular basis and sharing it here is probably one of the best things I can do to improve as a trainer.
Today's session is uploaded to youtube and includes notes. (it's hard to see the notes unless you blow it up to full screen - sorry about that).
For some reason recording sessions makes me REALLY distracted and Tess can sense that my attention is divided.....as a result she isn't as focused or motivated.
This was the first part/skill of the session - I went on to let her play with the ball, and do some other toy related stuff, and a session of Yer choice since she was SO distracted by the treat bowel (had cooked sausage in it for recalls among other tasty things) but this was the best part of the session and so just chose to share this. Letting her play with obstacles (like the ball) really revs her up, so I probably should have "sandwiched" the shaping session (although this was more of a luring session), between 2 high drive obstacle exercises instead of putting the shaping first.
Why did I chose to lure her into going under my legs instead of pure shaping? We've been doing a lot of shaping and I didn't want her to get confused that I was asking for something new. I did fade the lure as fast as I could - if you notice, there was not luring after the initial introduction to the activity.
I forgot to set my timer for the session - as a result, as you can see by the length of the video, the session ran 6 minutes instead of my planned 3-4 minutes. It's VERY difficult to judge the length of time without a beep every minute or so.
As a side note, some of you may be wondering why I'm bother to teach something like this? A couple of reasons:
1. Yet another fun thing we can do together that engages Tess and teaches her that I'm the "best cookie" in the world.
2. Yet another thing that engages her brain and causes her to think about something
3. Stretches and uses her body in a different way. I ask her to do many physically challenging things and I try to balance those skills with tricks and activities that stretch her muscles. Jumping and running the A-frame requires strength - but it's not the best way to build strength because you can injure the dog - so I do alternative strength activies (and related stretching) to gain a level of fitness so that Tess can learn the technique of jumping. I use the peanut ball for ab strength training, this crawling behavior to stretch afterwards, handstands to strengthen the back, yoga for stretching etc.
Things I really like about this video:
-even though I was distracted, Tess stayed fairly engaged throughout. She had one moment of running into the kitchen instead of retrieving - but she didn't do any sniffing stuff. She was sorta in "slow-mo" mode, but now that I realized that I should have put a higher drive game on either side of the new shaping session, that makes sense. And I can see how distracted I was - it's obvious I'm splitting my attention between Tess, the camera, and where to put the feed bowl. Tess can definitely tell.....
-I was pretty consistent about not treating for behavior that was "close" but not criteria.
-I realized after watching the video that Tess is all grown up!
What needs to be improved:
-early in the behavior I'm clicking too late
-More Yer choice in the beginning of the session if realize the treat bowl is going to be a problem.
-Figure out where I'm going to put the treats BEFORE I start the session. Even though I was good about getting everything staged before the session, that was the one thing I hadn't thought out.
-Should have used the crate games, or some other relationship game other than just toy play between the shaping. I didn't have enough room to really throw or play and I was trying to manage the treat bowl, the ball, and the camera at the same time.
-I need to stop worrying about whether the camera angle etc. is good. In this case I did 3 things and 1 of them came out good enough to share. Chances are, if I just act normal and go about my training "normally" I'll get one or two things good enough to share.
-Use a timer EVERY time.
Overall I give this session a "C".
The best thing about doing a video analysis of the session......
it was really really really helpful to see and it's going to make it easier for me to do it better at the next session. I do an indepth analysis of each session that I write in a training journal....BUT there's nothing like seeing a video of yourself and making a commitment to post in a public place to make the lessons sink in. I think taping myself on a regular basis and sharing it here is probably one of the best things I can do to improve as a trainer.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Things I learned from the Spay
Tess is (almost) fully recovered from the spay, since a behavior that she used to do constantly came back for the first time last night - standing on her hind legs with her front paws crossed in front of her on the top x-pen, just hanging out. Until she started doing that again, I knew that her incision site probably still was a bit uncomfortable when stretched.
I want to share some things you can do PRE spay to make the recovery period afterwards go as smoothly as possible. Based on my experience in the vet clinic and observing friends and family’s dogs at home after a spay what typically happens is this. A young puppy is brought in. The puppy doesn’t walk on a leash, slips on the slick floor (made worse because it’s pulling on the leash), and is stressed in the environment of the vet clinic. Post-spay the clinic gives the pup back to the owners with instructions to not let the dog lick at the incision, and to restrict movement for 7-10 days, keep on a leash, don’t let jump or run. The first day/night goes well and the pup is quiet. However, trouble starts in a couple of days. The owner does their best, but hasn’t really taught their pup to kennel well so it whines and paws and is generally annoying, it’s never eliminated on a leash, is so full of energy it pulls and jumps and bounds around. The ecollar is driving everyone mad and the owner is tired of yelling at the dog to stop licking. In less than a week the dog is tearing around the yard for better or worse.
It doesn’t have to happen like this. Although many dogs do just fine, there’s a real possibility of injury to the incision site and infection if you don’t follow a proper recovery protocol, thus incurring additional vet bills and expense - not to mention risk to your dog. A little pre-thought before taking your dog in for a spay can reduce the stress you and your dog experience afterwards.
A note about the age of the pup at spaying…..although there are some perfectly valid reasons to spay/neuter early, there are also some REALLY good reasons to wait until your pup reaches puberty. One of those reasons is to be able to put some time into training so that you DON’T have a crazy puppy jumping around, risking injury.
Things I learned from Tess’s spay (both from an owner and vet perspective):
1. Do the CBC. Not only will it catch any problems that might cause issues during the surgery, if you do have to give additional NSAIDs or other drugs to control pain after surgery, you won’t worry about whether their liver can handle it. Plus it gives you a base line in the future. It was ~ an extra 100 bucks for Tess. Well worth it - especially considering that she has a ton of recessive genes floating around - including a rather rate white recessive (less common in Brittany’s than other breeds).
2. The owner knows the patient best. This was a take home lesson for me as a future vet. If the owner says they are in pain, give it careful consideration. Someone who didn’t know Tess may think she’s fine. I know what’s normal for her. I wasn’t comfortable with the level of discomfort she was exhibiting. While the clinic gives an injectable NSAID post-surgery that should last most of the day, in Tess’s case I felt it wasn’t enough, so I called and got directions for administering additional drugs. I can remember doing multiple spays a day in the clinic I worked at and we NEVER sent pain meds home. We assured owners that their pets behavior was “normal”. I was likely to brush off owner’s concerns unless they really pushed……I will never again take a clinic’s opinion so lightly. They know the animal best. The take-home lesson for the owner is this: If you feel like the NSAID injectable isn’t controlling the pain and you weren’t given additional meds, call the clinic. It is important not to give aspirin or other drugs that you may have self-administered in the past to your dog after the spay, because a recent surgery AND the meds that are given for the surgery can have all sorts of interactions. Call the clinic.
3. Surgery is surgery is surgery. Routine doesn’t make it any less scary or less risky.
4. Knowing what is “normal” is a huge reassurance. A good handout with detailed information (and a concise summary) is worth a lot to the client. Google is priceless if you as the owner don’t get that handout.
5. A follow up call would have be nice. Especially since I had called the night of the surgery and asked for help managing what I saw as excessive pain. This is a reminder for me as a future vet: if the owner had called in to the clinic telling you that their animal seemed to be in a lot of pain, follow up the next day - the client will probably appreciate it.
6. Teach your dog to potty on a leash
7. Teach your dog not to jump now, before the spay.
8. Have a plan for wound licking management. When you yell at your dog to get out of the trash do they listen? Do you have to tell them multiple times in a day? How about in a week? If you can’t keep your dog out of the trash by yelling, do you think you will be successful if you just yell at your dog every time they like their incision? Ecollars are a pain. It was my goal NOT to use one. A standard “game” that Tess and I play with food, toys, going out side, dropped food etc. She knows that if she wants something and she waits, or stops, or does a desirable behavior like practice self control when she really wants to do something naughty, she will be rewarded with something even better. I turned the wound licking into the same game. My back up plan was an old T-shirt. My point is: HAVE A PLAN.
9. Kennel train your dog. This will help keep your dog calm in the hospital, and will maintain your sanity for the 1-2 week recovery period.
10. Train your dog to walk on slick surfaces - keep the nails short, teach to walk on a leash. Yes, slick floors can be the bane of a dogs existence - but their stress level and their behavior on a leash has a LOT to do with it. For ease of cleaning and disinfecting, vet hospitals have slick(er) floors. Keep your dogs stress level low at the vets clinic is much better for your dogs health in the long term (which is why you should kennel train your dog, even if you don’t kennel at home).
I want to share some things you can do PRE spay to make the recovery period afterwards go as smoothly as possible. Based on my experience in the vet clinic and observing friends and family’s dogs at home after a spay what typically happens is this. A young puppy is brought in. The puppy doesn’t walk on a leash, slips on the slick floor (made worse because it’s pulling on the leash), and is stressed in the environment of the vet clinic. Post-spay the clinic gives the pup back to the owners with instructions to not let the dog lick at the incision, and to restrict movement for 7-10 days, keep on a leash, don’t let jump or run. The first day/night goes well and the pup is quiet. However, trouble starts in a couple of days. The owner does their best, but hasn’t really taught their pup to kennel well so it whines and paws and is generally annoying, it’s never eliminated on a leash, is so full of energy it pulls and jumps and bounds around. The ecollar is driving everyone mad and the owner is tired of yelling at the dog to stop licking. In less than a week the dog is tearing around the yard for better or worse.
It doesn’t have to happen like this. Although many dogs do just fine, there’s a real possibility of injury to the incision site and infection if you don’t follow a proper recovery protocol, thus incurring additional vet bills and expense - not to mention risk to your dog. A little pre-thought before taking your dog in for a spay can reduce the stress you and your dog experience afterwards.
A note about the age of the pup at spaying…..although there are some perfectly valid reasons to spay/neuter early, there are also some REALLY good reasons to wait until your pup reaches puberty. One of those reasons is to be able to put some time into training so that you DON’T have a crazy puppy jumping around, risking injury.
Things I learned from Tess’s spay (both from an owner and vet perspective):
1. Do the CBC. Not only will it catch any problems that might cause issues during the surgery, if you do have to give additional NSAIDs or other drugs to control pain after surgery, you won’t worry about whether their liver can handle it. Plus it gives you a base line in the future. It was ~ an extra 100 bucks for Tess. Well worth it - especially considering that she has a ton of recessive genes floating around - including a rather rate white recessive (less common in Brittany’s than other breeds).
2. The owner knows the patient best. This was a take home lesson for me as a future vet. If the owner says they are in pain, give it careful consideration. Someone who didn’t know Tess may think she’s fine. I know what’s normal for her. I wasn’t comfortable with the level of discomfort she was exhibiting. While the clinic gives an injectable NSAID post-surgery that should last most of the day, in Tess’s case I felt it wasn’t enough, so I called and got directions for administering additional drugs. I can remember doing multiple spays a day in the clinic I worked at and we NEVER sent pain meds home. We assured owners that their pets behavior was “normal”. I was likely to brush off owner’s concerns unless they really pushed……I will never again take a clinic’s opinion so lightly. They know the animal best. The take-home lesson for the owner is this: If you feel like the NSAID injectable isn’t controlling the pain and you weren’t given additional meds, call the clinic. It is important not to give aspirin or other drugs that you may have self-administered in the past to your dog after the spay, because a recent surgery AND the meds that are given for the surgery can have all sorts of interactions. Call the clinic.
3. Surgery is surgery is surgery. Routine doesn’t make it any less scary or less risky.
4. Knowing what is “normal” is a huge reassurance. A good handout with detailed information (and a concise summary) is worth a lot to the client. Google is priceless if you as the owner don’t get that handout.
5. A follow up call would have be nice. Especially since I had called the night of the surgery and asked for help managing what I saw as excessive pain. This is a reminder for me as a future vet: if the owner had called in to the clinic telling you that their animal seemed to be in a lot of pain, follow up the next day - the client will probably appreciate it.
6. Teach your dog to potty on a leash
7. Teach your dog not to jump now, before the spay.
8. Have a plan for wound licking management. When you yell at your dog to get out of the trash do they listen? Do you have to tell them multiple times in a day? How about in a week? If you can’t keep your dog out of the trash by yelling, do you think you will be successful if you just yell at your dog every time they like their incision? Ecollars are a pain. It was my goal NOT to use one. A standard “game” that Tess and I play with food, toys, going out side, dropped food etc. She knows that if she wants something and she waits, or stops, or does a desirable behavior like practice self control when she really wants to do something naughty, she will be rewarded with something even better. I turned the wound licking into the same game. My back up plan was an old T-shirt. My point is: HAVE A PLAN.
9. Kennel train your dog. This will help keep your dog calm in the hospital, and will maintain your sanity for the 1-2 week recovery period.
10. Train your dog to walk on slick surfaces - keep the nails short, teach to walk on a leash. Yes, slick floors can be the bane of a dogs existence - but their stress level and their behavior on a leash has a LOT to do with it. For ease of cleaning and disinfecting, vet hospitals have slick(er) floors. Keep your dogs stress level low at the vets clinic is much better for your dogs health in the long term (which is why you should kennel train your dog, even if you don’t kennel at home).
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
New commitments
Susan Garrett has a great website, blog, and newsletter. You have to subscribe to read the newsletter, but it's well worth it the trouble it takes to input your email and then click on the confirm link.
I don't get spam from her - just really well thought out articles that are always timely for something that me and Tess are going through.
The last newsletter talked about "triggers" - an unspoken language/behavior/body language between you and your dog that is fun, motivating, and relationship building. I was doing them unconciously because it was fun (raising my eyebrows at her for example, when she stared at me, because I knew she found it stimulating and she would instantly come over and check me out) but now that I recognized the value of installing "triggers" I use them all the time throughout the day. It's a way of making myself really run and unpredictable to Tess, and as a result she's super focused on me, even in potentially distracting situations. For example, I might inhale sharply and dash down the hall, inviting a game of chase. Or I might throw my hands up in the air inviting her to jump with me. It's a way of focusing attention without toys or treats and reminds both of us that it's the strength of our bond and relationship - not which particular toy or treat I happen to have in my pocket that matters.
Today I had a dismal training session, probably one of the worst ones I've had in the past month. It wasn't because she was naughty or zoomie - but her motivation was low, she was distractable, and left the area several times. She just seemed bored with the whole thing. Even though she was super excited about tug and the toy, she was kinda faking it.
I salvaged it as best I could and evaluated what went wrong. My hypothesis was: We had been working poles every day prespay, and once she was able to do them again post-spay, have continued to do them every day. I'm drilling her too much. We do the same thing every day - poles: because they are sexy and I find them fun. My solution was: give her 2 days off and just play, making sure she has off leash play time with other dogs. Have fun, no obstacles.
After reading the newsletter that was in my inbox this evening, I immediately realized that I need to make several changes to my program. None of the concepts are new....rather they are concepts that I follow for a while, and then gradually move back to my "M.O." - boring, predictable, drilling etc. Practices that do NOT make Tess happy. So here's a new commitment to working with Tess that I know works!
1. Avoid unnecessary timeouts (have all the equipment and treats in place before bringing her out for a session), but use them when I need to (like when she decides to leave the area - don't stand there like a date that's been stood up plantively calling her name....)
2. Don’t reward grey areas - make criteria black and white and don't reward "close". (When teaching something of course, shaping etc, criteria "moves" as the dog progresses). The dog shutting down, zoomies, leaving work area etc. can be because of stress/confusion of rewarding inconsistent criteria.
3. Plan training sessions to include skills that are brand new, developing, and well known. I'm bad about only focusing on one skill.
4. For dogs that you are building drive - sessions last for less than a minute. SET A TIMER. In all cases, keep sessions shorter than 5 minutes. How many times do I have to remind myself of this???????
5. Do a balance break/joy break/relationship building (with the 5 games) every 3-5 treats. I'm good about taking breaks - but based on this recommendation I'm not doing them nearly as often enough.
I suppose I should be grateful that Tess focuses as well as she does, considering the amount of time I require her to focus on a task! Hopefully by breaking it up more often and setting a timer, we'll both find a lot more joy in our sessions and drive/motivation will go back up.
I don't get spam from her - just really well thought out articles that are always timely for something that me and Tess are going through.
The last newsletter talked about "triggers" - an unspoken language/behavior/body language between you and your dog that is fun, motivating, and relationship building. I was doing them unconciously because it was fun (raising my eyebrows at her for example, when she stared at me, because I knew she found it stimulating and she would instantly come over and check me out) but now that I recognized the value of installing "triggers" I use them all the time throughout the day. It's a way of making myself really run and unpredictable to Tess, and as a result she's super focused on me, even in potentially distracting situations. For example, I might inhale sharply and dash down the hall, inviting a game of chase. Or I might throw my hands up in the air inviting her to jump with me. It's a way of focusing attention without toys or treats and reminds both of us that it's the strength of our bond and relationship - not which particular toy or treat I happen to have in my pocket that matters.
Today I had a dismal training session, probably one of the worst ones I've had in the past month. It wasn't because she was naughty or zoomie - but her motivation was low, she was distractable, and left the area several times. She just seemed bored with the whole thing. Even though she was super excited about tug and the toy, she was kinda faking it.
I salvaged it as best I could and evaluated what went wrong. My hypothesis was: We had been working poles every day prespay, and once she was able to do them again post-spay, have continued to do them every day. I'm drilling her too much. We do the same thing every day - poles: because they are sexy and I find them fun. My solution was: give her 2 days off and just play, making sure she has off leash play time with other dogs. Have fun, no obstacles.
After reading the newsletter that was in my inbox this evening, I immediately realized that I need to make several changes to my program. None of the concepts are new....rather they are concepts that I follow for a while, and then gradually move back to my "M.O." - boring, predictable, drilling etc. Practices that do NOT make Tess happy. So here's a new commitment to working with Tess that I know works!
1. Avoid unnecessary timeouts (have all the equipment and treats in place before bringing her out for a session), but use them when I need to (like when she decides to leave the area - don't stand there like a date that's been stood up plantively calling her name....)
2. Don’t reward grey areas - make criteria black and white and don't reward "close". (When teaching something of course, shaping etc, criteria "moves" as the dog progresses). The dog shutting down, zoomies, leaving work area etc. can be because of stress/confusion of rewarding inconsistent criteria.
3. Plan training sessions to include skills that are brand new, developing, and well known. I'm bad about only focusing on one skill.
4. For dogs that you are building drive - sessions last for less than a minute. SET A TIMER. In all cases, keep sessions shorter than 5 minutes. How many times do I have to remind myself of this???????
5. Do a balance break/joy break/relationship building (with the 5 games) every 3-5 treats. I'm good about taking breaks - but based on this recommendation I'm not doing them nearly as often enough.
I suppose I should be grateful that Tess focuses as well as she does, considering the amount of time I require her to focus on a task! Hopefully by breaking it up more often and setting a timer, we'll both find a lot more joy in our sessions and drive/motivation will go back up.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Fun stuff
Wanted to share one of the best nail trimming diagrams that I've seen! I grabbed this off the internet somewhere - if anyone has a credit for it, let me know. I think the most interesting thing to note is that clipping or filing off a little off of a long nail every FEW DAYS is necessary to get the blood supply to recede. I guess I had always assumed that every few weeks was adequate - but then again, I've never personally dealt with a dog with this problem, besides the dogs that came to the clinic for nail trims, that were always bad/long no matter what because we only saw them every few months or so.
And now for something a little more lighthearted.....
One of the funniest thing I've heard in vet school is "brachycephalic breeds are predisposed to everything except living". Seems like the onion proclaiming a recall of the 07 model isn't THAT far off reality. :)
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Pet food link
Still can't get enough on the raw versus kibble debate? Here's an interesting article here.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
Tess pics!
FYI - these are all pre-spay, a least a couple weeks old!
Tess trying to get my attention while studying
Tess trying to get my attention while studying
Tess at the hotel room in Reno at the AERC convention - off duty!
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