Tip of the Day Get off Your Bike if a Dog Chases You

Making it Worse?

We are asked this question quite frequently: What should I do if a dog chases me or my kids while we are riding our bikes? Most adults assume that if they have good speed they can outride a dog. A cyclist in our area was badly injured when dog ran down a farm lane barking at him. He sped up to try to get away from the dog, lost control on the gravel shoulder and fell off his bike. The dog sniffed him and walked away.

Avoid a Chase

Kids on bikes should never assume that they can ride faster than a dog can run, because most likely they cant. If confronted by a dog while riding a bike, the best thing to do is to stop and if there is time get off the bike so that the bike is between you and the dog.

The main motivation for the dog is the chase and when there is nothing to chase the dog will lose interest. If the dog does catch a moving cyclist this could result in serious injuries both from the fall and from the dog, whose natural instinct is to bite and shake prey that it has caught. It is best to defuse the situation by removing the dogs motivation to chase.

Some people have been told that they should get off the bike, but keep moving so as to keep the bike between them and the dog. This movement will just keep the dog interested longer. It is best to stand still even if the dog circles around the bike to investigate and even if the dog is barking and acting aggressively.

A Note to Cyclists on Busy Trails

If you see a person walking a dog on a leash ahead of you, make some noise to warn the dog handler so that they can move over to give you room to pass. They will be more than happy to do this. If there is only a narrow passing area, please slow down, or even better, get off your bike and walk past (with your bike between you and the dog, just in case). If the dog handler looks like they are having trouble with the dog, or they have multiple dogs, you are advised to walk your bike past. Blasting past pedestrians with a few inches to spare is not cool (dog or no dog) and could result in a surprised dog pulling loose and chasing you. In some mixed use trails, there could be loose dogs, be ready to stop if the dog looks like it might give chase. You may be fast, but a large breed dog in peak condition is faster.

Here is a video that shows the wrong thing to do if a dog chases you while you are riding a bike. Notice that when the cyclist moves the bike to try to keep the dog on the other side of it, this just makes the dog more interested in him. As soon as he stops moving the dog loses interest.

Here is a video that shows the right thing to do. Notice how much less interested the dog is when the cyclist stands still, compared to the previous video, when he kept moving around.

  

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Why Do My Dog’s Eyes Glow in the Dark

By Tamara McRill

Ever spot a pair of demonically glowing green or red eyes in the dark, only to realize they belong to your cute and cuddly dog? What really gets to me is when I’m the one outside and I see the floating bright orbs peering out my window. You know, it’s that split second where you’re torn between wanting to turn and run or bust in to save your pets from...whatever “It” is.

But of course, “It” is your dog’s (or even cat’s) eyes glowing in the dark. It turns out there is even a very scientific – and reassuring – reason their eyes shine so eerily in the darkness.

Tapetum Lucidum

No, that’s not the starting phrase of an exorcism, although it is Latin. It means “bright tapestry.” The words are also the scientific term for the light-reflecting surface between a dog’s optic nerve and retina.

The tapetum lucidum is what makes dog’s eyes react to light exposure differently than human eyes, essentially reflecting the light back through their eyes like a mirror. The rods and cones make use of the multiplied light to see better in the dark. Dogs and other animals with the structure, like cats and deer, can use very low levels of light to see.

Different Colors

In addition to superior night vision, this reflected light is also what produces eyeshine in dogs…that surreal colored glow that comes out in their eyes at night. What I find fascinating is that not every dog’s eyeshine is the same color.

My chocolate lab, Wuppy, has brown eyes that have a predominant phosphorus green eyeshine. One of our mixed breed dogs, Cody, has one blue eye and one brown eye. His eyes glow a dark red when hit with light in the dark, although the blue eye is more intense.

The colors of a dog’s eyeshine aren’t limited to red and green, either. They can be all shades of blue, orange, yellow, turquoise or even violet. The specific color reflected depends on the amount of zinc or riboflavin in the eye cells.

Red glowing eyes at night are the result of blood vessels reflecting light. This is common with white dogs who have blue eyes.

Some dog breeds are known for certain eyeshine color, although the tendency isn’t a guarantee that’s the color they’ll have. Yellow labs tend to have a light yellow shine, and black labs a deep yellow or green. Miniature Schnauzers are known for turquoise glow.

Outside Influences on Color

The eyeshine color can also depend on other factors, such as the kind of light being shined in a dog’s eyes. Headlights, halogen lights, flashlights and lights with colored filters may all produce a different glow in the eyes of the same dog. The intensity of the light is also a factor, as is the distance between the light source and the dog, and where you are standing in relation to the dog’s location.

I have photos of Wuppy where his eyes glow green. But in other photos, all taken during the same nighttime romp, the colors range from red and orange, to yellow.

You can often tell eyeshine color by taking a photo of your dog with the flash on, with them looking up at you. Just try not to get them right in the eye with the flash. If your dog is younger than 16 weeks, their tapetum will probably be blue or violet. The color of their glow may change as they get older.

What color do your pet’s eyes glow in the dark?

Photos by Tamara McRill

Read more articles by Tamara McRill

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Avoid Dog Behavioral Problems

Leadership:
Theres a lot of talk about Leadership and how to dominate your
dog. Thats Not what we want you to think of in terms of
Leadership. Effective leadership is taking the role of the decision
maker, the food provider, the caretaker. As a dog owner you are
already making decisions for your dog on a daily basis. Such
things as when its time to get up or when your dog goes outside.

Simple everyday decision making should be second nature to
the dog owner but sometimes it isnt. Some pushy dogs out there
are making too many decisions of their own and most times
these are bad decisions.

A dog who barks and growls at everyone trying to enter the
home is taking on the role of leader. He is guarding his home.
Not your home. Not your family. But his home and his people.
This may sound like a good idea. Everyone wants to feel
protected and a dog who alerts to noises isnt a bad thing. But it
is your decision as leader to determine who enters your home. A
dog who feels he owns his castle is one step away from
correcting you or someone in your family for making a decision
he doesnt approve of.

To be a leader to your dog takes giving your dog some rules.

Not rushing the door and jumping on visitors
Not dragging you around on leash
Not begging for food
Staying out from under foot
No running through the house like a wild dog.
.....These are just a few.

Another way to show leadership is to put your dog on a feeding
schedule. Twice a day is good. Let him know the food comes
from you, the provider, and wait for your dog to be calm before
placing the bowl on the floor. Remove after 10 to 15 minutes
whether he is finished or not. He wont starve. And dont be
manipulated into coercing him to eat at each meal. Put it down
and walk away.

A good leader is also a good caretaker. This means you need to
look after the well being of your dog. Make sure his vaccinations
are up to date, his diet consists of a well balanced food, and his
grooming is attended too as needed. Exercise is also important.
As his caretaker it is your responsibility to see to his mental and
physical well being. A dog lacking in exercise becomes
overweight and has an increase risk of joint pain and other
health related issues. A dog who is lacking in mental stimulation
becomes a nuisance with constant need of attention. Frustration
from a lack of exercise, mental or physical, can manifest into
chewing, running around like he has no off switch, excessive
barking, or mouthiness.

To sum it all up.. A good leader is a good dog owner. Someone
who makes the right decisions for their dogs safely, health, and
well being.

Training:
It is never too soon nor too late in a dogs life to begin training.
Though the sooner you start the less time your dog has to
learn bad habits. Training creates good habits by giving your
dog something constructive to do in place of something
undesireable. It teaches your dog self control so your dog has
the ability to make good decisions.

Training gives your dog an understanding of what you want
from him. Its not about doing a trick to get some laughs. Being
able to call your dog back to you out of harms way goes a long
way in extending your dogs life. When we teach a dog to Sit or
Down we expect the dog to stay there until told otherwise.

Training takes time for your dog to understand. It also needs to
happen outside of the home around real world distractions. If
you only work with your dog in a class setting or in the home
your dog will likely not understand the command in a new
setting. Dogs dont generalize as we do. Thats why we have to
teach Sit in many different settings for the dog to truely
understand what Sit means. The same goes for all other
commands too.

Repetition, Repetition, Repetition. The more you work with your
dog the better trained your dog will be. Imagine a child learning
the alphabet. The child repeats it over and over and over until
they no longer have to think about it. It becomes second
nature to them. Give your dog plenty of training time until he
has a complete understanding of what he is learning.

How do you know when your dog is trained? Test. Look at your
dog and say his name. Now say Sit. Did he sit? How about
Down. Did he Down? How about from across the room. Well?

If your dog can do these and others on the first command
within a few seconds of asking then your dog has a good
understanding of the command. Now take it further and find
some distractions. Can your dog do the commands now? Yes.
Then find more difficult ones.

Training is never really over. Its an ongoing process and
relationship. If you give up on it, it will go away.


Management:
This is what we do to make things easier on us, the dog, and
the situation. Managing your dog can be crating him when
company comes to teaching a Place command so he stays on
his bed while company visits. Management can also be utilizing
training tools; such as for aggression, a Halti can be worn in
public to keep a reactive dog safe by controlling his mouth. A
tether can keep a puppy attached to you to make sure he
doesnt wonder off and pee. Management can also keep dogs
safe in a situation of a multi dog family. Crating may be needed
to while the owners are not home so no fights break out.

The better you manage your dog/dogs, the less likely bad
behavior will occur. Management doesnt replace training but
goes hand in hand with it. We need to be aware of what can
happen at any given time and use some sort of management
(a learned command, restraint, interference, confinement, ect)
to keep mistakes from happening.

What ever your dogs age Now is the time to be the adult in the
relationship. A dogs mind is as moldable as a childs. Give the
correct guidance and education and anything is achievable.
Teach your puppy or dog as much as possible and they will
grow into a well mannered companion that will be welcomed
everywhere.

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No Dogs in the Babys Room!

By Hannah Branigan MS, CPDT-KA, KPA CTP


To keep everyone safe, we are establishing safe spaces for both the dogs and the baby. The dogs wont be allowed in the babys room, and the baby wont be allowed in the dog room. This will give the baby a safe, dog-free place to play and I wont have to worry about baby toys becoming dog toys.

We will use baby gates to help control access to parts of the house, especially while the baby is young, but its a good idea to have some training in place as well.

I want waiting outside the room to be easy and stress-free for the dogs, and I really want to avoid using any aversives on the dogs with the baby around, because I dont want any negative associations to form. So Im using clicker training and positive reinforcement to teach them to stay in the hall and not follow me in. Im not using a cue, because I want the behavior to be automatic, so I dont have to remember to say wait every time (and because I know for sure that my husband will forget).

More about Hannah and Wonderpups Training and Behavior

Obedience FUNdamentals DVD

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New Zealand farm working dogs 11 The Law and your Dog

 By Dr Clive Dalton

The law

Ownership of a working dog carries with it some clearly-defined legal responsibilities under current legislation.  Your main responsibilities are to:

·      Make sure a dog is registered and that the certificate is in a secure place and readily available.

·      Have collars, discs, or tags for all dogs and make sure they wear them at all times.

·      Notify any change of address, either permanent or temporary if you move, or if you sell the dog.

·      Ensure discs or labels are not tampered with.

·      Present all dogs for treatment for hydatids as required.

·      Keep dogs under control at all times.

·      Make certain dogs are well housed.

·      Ensure dogs are well fed.

The dog is also covered under legislation that states that an animal must be provided with adequate food, water, and shelter, and given adequate exercise.  Ill-treating your dog or cruelly ill-treating it is an offence under the law.

Registration

All dogs must be registered annually with a "territorial authority" such as a borough council, county council, district council or city council, or a hydatids and dog control authority acting on behalf of these.  All farm dogs over 3 months of age must be registered. 

The fees vary with each territorial authority and some charge lower fees for working dogs and neutered dogs.  You are not allowed to shop round for the cheapest authority - you register your dog where you live! 

Proof of ownership, other than the owners certificate is the label or disc that the dog should wear at all times.  This shows:

·      The territorial authority where the dog is registered.

·      Year of registration, also shown by the colour of the tag.

·      The dogs ownership number.

New collars can be purchased from the authority.  Old ones can be used provided the current label or tag is firmly attached.  If a collar or disc is lost, you can apply to the authority for a replacement and youll have to pay for it. 

Remember that if a dog is found without a collar, it will be "deemed as unregistered" until you can prove the contrary.

Selling a dog

When selling a dog, if its under 3 months of age, there is no obligation to register it before sale.  If you sell the dog when over 3 months of age you must notify the territorial authority in writing within 14 days that the dog has been sold.  Theres no fee charged for change of ownership. 

When selling a dog you must:

·      Give the new owner a current treatment certificate showing that the dog has been treated for hydatids in the last 42 days.

·      Provide the authority with the name and address of the new owner and the address where the dog in normally kept.

Buying a dog

If you buy a dog under 3 months of age, the vendor doesnt have to produce a hydatids treatment certificate.  As a new owner you must:

·      Register the dog before its 3 months old

·      If over 3 months old, get the original owner to provide a certificate to show the dog has been treated for hydatids in the last 42 days.

·      Notify the territorial authority in writing within 14 days of purchase the name of the authority the dog came from.

Moving with your dog

If you move within the same territorial authority, then notify the territorial authority of your address change, in writing, within 14 days .

If you move to a new authority, notify them in writing within 6 weeks of moving where the dog came from.   Then inform the authority you have just left that youve moved, and give them the new address where the dog is kept.  It would pay to do this in writing too.

These two situations are important for stockpersons doing casual work and for those having dogs on trial before purchase.  Its also important for people traveling outside their district to always carry their dogs hydatids treatment certificate. It should show that treatment has been carried out within the last 42 days.

Control of dogs

This part of the act is important for farm dogs.  It covers the fact that dogs must be kept under control at all times.  If a dog is considered to be out of control, then a number of things can happen.  Important examples are:

·      A Dog Control Officer can impound it.

·      The occupier of the land on which the dog is found can impound it.

·      If the dog is in a public place from which dogs are prohibited, anyone can seize the dog, or arrange for it to be seized and impounded.

·      Anyone can impound a dog (or dogs) if they consider it to be causing distress, annoyance, and damage to property other than the owners.

The occupier of land where a dog causes a nuisance can either return the dog to its owner or hand it over to a Dog Control Officer or Dog Ranger.

Barking dogs

If a barking dog has been reported to a Dog Control Officer or Dog Ranger, and there are reasonable grounds to believe that its barking constitutes a nuisance, an officer or ranger can:

·      Enter the land or premises (other than a dwelling house) at any reasonable time to inspect the conditions under which the dog is kept.

·      Give the owner a written notice requiring him/her to abate the nuisance or remove the dog.  The owner may object within 7 days.

Disqualification from ownership

A territorial authority may apply to a court to disqualify a person from owning a dog if convicted of a range of listed offences in the legislation.

Dogs attacking people or livestock or rushing at vehicles

Anyone who sees a dog attack stock or poultry, or who is themselves attacked, can either seize the dog or destroy it immediately.  Note that police dogs are exempt!  Once you have seized the dog, you must hand it over to its owner or to a Dog Control Officer or Ranger.

If you cannot catch the dog, you may call a police officer who can shoot it.  It need not be caught in the act for this to happen, but the office must have reasonable ground for believing the attacks took place.

The police officer is empowered to destroy the dog only if he/she is unable to seize it.

Dangerous dogs at large

It is an offence for owners of a dangerous dog to have it at large without a suitable muzzle.  A "dangerous dog" is one that has attacked people, stock, poultry or property of any kind.  If you keep it in a vehicle or cage, then this is acceptable.

Destroying dangerous dogs

A court can order the owner of a dangerous dog either to keep it under proper restraint or make an order for it to be destroyed.

Seizure or destruction of a dog found at large among livestock

If a dog is found running at large among livestock or poultry, the owner may either seize a dog or destroy it.  Owners can also request their "agent", a constable, a Dog Control Officer or Ranger to do this on their behalf.

If seized the dog must be returned to its owner or delivered into the custody of a Dog Control Officer or Ranger.

Dogs seen worrying livestock

If a dog has been seen worrying livestock of poultry, the owner may make a complaint to the District Court.  The court as a result may make an order of restraint or an order to destroy the dog.

Liability of the owner for damage

The owner of a dog is liable for all damage done by the animal.

Dog control bylaws

A territorial authority can make bylaws for a range of purposes.  Those of interest to farm dog owners are:

·      Prescribing minimum standards for accommodation of dogs.

·      Limiting the number of dogs kept on land or premises.

·      Requiring dogs to be tied up during the hours of darkness.

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When dogs die the science of sad

Diposting oleh fajar di 21.48

Farewell to Elke

Ah, Julie...

I’m not even really sure where to start. 

"On Sunday I sat outside in the sun, stroking Elkes so-soft ears, while my husband patted her long, sleek back, and we farewelled our first girl. We learned on Friday that her liver and spleen were full of cancer. We are so grateful to have shared 12.5yrs with her and will miss her dearly." is what my Facebook status update said.
But lets start at the beginning...

Little Elke-Moo and her
cow hips, at RSPCA

I met Elke (pronounced Ell-kee) when I was in my third week of employment in the RSPCA shelter. What a sucker I was! She was seized as part of a cruelty case from a property where an elderly man with dementia had over forty dogs. Because of the dementia, the dogs weren’t receiving proper care and he sometimes fed them chicken pellets. Of her litter, Elke was the only survivor. She looked like a 5 week old puppy but she was actually 12 weeks old. 

She was always small. Our ‘bonsai pointer’, we called her. We joked that she was little, but could lay a good egg.  My boyfriend at the time and I had been speaking about getting a dog, and pointers had come up as a breed we were interested in – he wanted a dog to run with him. After three weeks of rehabilitation at RSPCA, she came home with me. I was 23 years old. Since then, she has been a fixture in the landscape of our lives - through house moves, our engagement and marriage, the death of my father, the arrival of our daughter, the comings and goings of oh-so-many other dogs (occupational hazard!).

Elke and my daughter - a fantastic introduction to dogs

Elke was energetic, excitable and hilarious. She wasnt perfect, but neither were we. We were a perfect match. She realised, as a young dog, that she could redirect attention to herself if visitors were over, by trawling our dirty clothes basket for recent underwear and then parading it through the lounge room for everyone to see. 

Post-beach snooze with our other dog, Caleb

She didn’t like thunderstorms or fireworks. She loved running off lead at the park, the beach or through the bush and she adored retrieving. She would regularly throw herself into water without stopping to check for a way out. One time I had to walk along a river back for about 500m while she swam and we looked for a place where she could scramble up the riverbank to get out again!

We took Elke to obedience training and she taught us so much. Elke was also more than our pet. She helped as a friendly adult dog at puppy preschool classes, she posed as a jaunty model as Australia legislated for the end of tail docking, she tried to distract trainee guide dogs and she visited nursing homes as a certified visiting therapy dog. They were all things we did together, my spotty dog and I.

Elke loved playing swim-retrieve in the water

 She and our other dog Caleb were very close. They had a silly play ritual they indulged in every day. Twice a day. A close-quarters mouthing and growling game that ended in howling calamity. It was sometimes annoying (working from home, it wasn’t always compatible with work-related phone calls!), but always made me smile. But now our house is very quiet.

We all loved time at the beach

We didn’t know Elke was sick until a week before she was euthanased. We took her to the vet, her temperature was up, a blood sample was taken, antibiotics were commenced. We didn’t know just how sick she was until two days before. What we did know, was that she was getting older, slowing down, not hearing the thunderstorms any more – and we knew she wouldn’t live forever. But that day always seems - in the future.

Instant couch-rights

When the vet rang me on Friday (the 13^th) to advise that the ultrasound showed Elke’s liver and spleen were full of cancer, I was interstate at a conference aiming to eliminate the euthanasia of healthy and treatable pets in Australia. I was told that there were no options. Elke was comfortable, but at risk of bleeding internally and needed to be kept quiet with minimal activity. Euthanasia was not required immediately, but certainly the recommended course of action to avoid a slow and painful death by haemorrhage. I made the appointment for the day after I was due home and cried in my hotel room until there were no tissues left.

Sunday morning was a beautiful morning in Melbourne. The sun was out. I sat with Elke and my just-turned-3-year-old daughter in our garden. We talked about Elke being sick and that she was going to die. She asked hard questions. I did my best to answer them. We weren’t able to play retrieve, but passed Elke little sticks and she crunched them in her teeth. I took some last photos of the two of them – my girls – who have enjoyed a calm and positive relationship. Then Pete and I took Elke to the vet. She was given a mild sedative and we walked outside into the vet clinic’s garden (she never really liked veterinary consult’ rooms). We placed her bed on the grass in the sun, while she walked and sniffed. As the sedation took effect, I helped her settle onto her bed and she relaxed, dozing in the sun. Pete gently stroked her back. I had her relaxed head cushioned in my lap, savouring the sensation of her silky soft ears against my fingertips, one last time. She didn’t even notice the needle that entered the vein in her leg with the overdose of anaesthetic. It really was the perfect euthanasia.

Elke was doing selfies pre-Facebook - circa 2003

Now Elke is gone, and we’re adjusting to this changed landscape of our lives.

Despite all the dogs that have lived in our home, for days or for years, Elke is the first dog that we have owned from puppyhood through to old age. In some ways, this is helping me cope with her death.  With other dogs I think I’ve felt an element of anger that we had met too late for them to live their best life, or been robbed of time together through unexpected illness taking them too soon. But today, I’m trying to take comfort in the fact that Elke lived a fabulous and full life with us; her passing was as peaceful and stress free as any of us could hope for. I’m so grateful that our daughter had Elke to share her infancy with. 

It still hurts. In ways that bubble up unexpectedly. And I know that’s OK. Grief is messy. It’s individual and it takes as long as it takes. Time plays a critical role and will not be rushed.

Spooning in 2003.

Still besties in 2013.

Research over the past 25 years has shown us that grieving for a pet follows the same reactions and involves the same emotional responses as dealing with a human loss. People who have lost a pet commonly experience intense feelings such as sadness, anger, anxiety, disbelief, depression, panic, relief or even numbness. The act of consenting to euthanasia has been found to be particularly disturbing for some owners, who feel they have betrayed a trust by choosing death over life. Of course, grief responses to death of companion animals is linked to the strength of attachment we have with them, but we should not trivialise, nor brush aside our response to the death of our pets.

Animals are important to us and the grief we experience when they die is real.
We should be gentle to ourselves.

Acknowledging this and permitting ourselves to react (however we need to) is important. Letting our support networks (friends, family, colleagues) know how we feel and letting them help us in return is also important. If time isn’t helping, or you lack a support network, seek further help, from your doctor or a professional counsellor. The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has helpful information about grief here. The number of friends who have sent me kind messages, called to see how were doing this week or even driven over just to give me a hug has shown me that a) Elke was a dog whose reach was long, and that b) I have amazing friends and family!

And so, my friend, I’m off to give Caleb a big hug. Because amongst all the other sad (for Elke, for my daughter, for me) I’m sad that he may never get to do this again:

Mia

Do You Believe in Dog? will place further helpful resources about dealing with the grief associated with pet loss online soon.

My submitted proof that the sun did shine out of...

Further reading: 
Weisman A.D. (1990). Bereavement and Companion Animals, OMEGA--Journal of Death and Dying, 22 (4) 241-248. DOI: 10.2190/C54Y-UGMH-QGR4-CWTL

Archer J. & Winchester G. (1994). Bereavement following death of a pet, British Journal of Psychology, 85 (2) 259-271. DOI: 10.1111/j.2044-8295.1994.tb02522.x

Podrazik D., Shackford S., Becker L. & Heckert T. (2000). The Death of a Pet: Implications for Loss and Bereavement Across the Lifespan, Journal of Personal and Interpersonal Loss, 5 (4) 361-395. DOI: 10.1080/10811440008407852

Smith A. (2012). Pet Loss and Human Emotion: Whats New?, Death Studies, 36 (3) 292-297. DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2011.590443

Field N., Orsini L., Gavish R. & Packman W. (2009). Role of Attachment in Response to Pet Loss, Death Studies, 33 (4) 334-355. DOI: 10.1080/07481180802705783

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How to Find the Right Dog for Your Lifestyle

Diposting oleh fajar di 14.42

By Linda Cole

Finding the right dog isnt always easy. There are nearly 500 dog breeds recognized by kennel clubs throughout the world. With so many choices, purebred and mixed, how do you find the right dog for your lifestyle? Basically, its a combination of common sense, doing your homework on breeds, and understanding that some dogs can be harder to handle.

Purebred or Mixed?

You want to feel comfortable around your dog. The first thing to consider is why you want a dog. Secondly, do you want a purebred or a mixed breed? If cost is a consideration, visit your local shelter or rescue groups for purebreds and mixed breeds, or contact breed specific rescues for purebred dogs. Buying from a responsible breeder is more expensive, but you will learn about your pups history and health, see his parents, and have someone happy to answer all of your questions. They will have questions for you, as well.

Energy Level

Do you want a dog that watches you toss a ball and then gives you a look that says, “Youre the one who threw it over there. Im not going to get it,” one who is eager and ready for a five mile run, or something in between? Regardless of size or breed, all dogs need some daily exercise and some need more than others. How much exercise are you willing to give your dog each day? A bored dog can be destructive if he isnt given an outlet to get rid of pent up energy. A daily walk adds stimulation to your dogs mind. We would get bored doing the same thing every day, and so do dogs that never get outside their enclosed area.

Living Space

Size can matter when it comes to space inside and outside your home, and so does the location of your home. Do you live in an apartment, small house, large house, the suburbs, a small town, downtown, or in a rural area? Is there a spacious backyard or one just large enough to justify owning a lawnmower? Is there a fenced-in secure area? How close are your neighbors?

Size of the Dog 

If you have an apartment that reminds you of a closest, a Great Dane might not be your best choice, although as long as you provide him with plenty of exercise on a daily basis, it might work out if you dont mind having furniture rearranged when you get home. Your biggest consideration when it comes to size is can you control the dog and will he be comfortable in the space youre asking him to live in? Getting the right sized dog to fit your comfort level makes it easier for you to control him and keep him safe if you have a family that likes to rough-house. Size also matters when it comes to mealtime. A premium quality dog food like CANIDAE Life Stages is less expensive in the long run than lower quality brands because it doesnt take as much food to fill him up.

Coat Type

Some breeds require more time spent on grooming than others. A dogs coat can be wiry, long, short and with an undercoat, or single coat. Some coats need to be trimmed and some dont, and some breeds shed more than others.

Time for Training

All dogs should be taught basic commands, which gives you better control and helps you keep him safe. They all need to be socialized with other pets, people of all ages, and in different environments. Its not difficult to train a dog if you work with him on a daily basis until he learns what you are teaching and then reinforce it so he remembers. You might be surprised how quickly most dogs learn commands when youre consistent, dedicated, patient and respectful. Five or ten minutes a day is all you need. Its important to be able to handle your pet. Not all dogs are easy to control, and certain breeds should not be owned by someone who doesnt understand how powerful and strong willed they are.

Other People in the Home 

Do you have young children or an elderly person living with you? No matter what kind of dog you decide on, young kids and dogs should never be left together unsupervised. Some dogs may not get along with older people who dont always interact well with them. Its important to make sure everyone in the home is comfortable with the size, breed, temperament and energy level of a dog before you bring him home.

Choose a dog wisely, for the right reason, and for your specific lifestyle. Its worth the time and effort when your perfect pet snuggles next to you on the couch, happy you picked him.

Top photo by Sadie Hart
Bottom photo by Jon Hurd

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Tip of the Day Talk to Your Child After a Dog Bite It is NOT the Childs Fault

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It is Child Mental Health Week and Dog Bite Prevention Week, so we are starting off our series of daily tips on the topic of emotional support for children after a dog bite.

Children who are bitten by a dog often experience significant stress that can persist long after the incident. The may feel betrayed if their own dog bit them, guilt if the dog is put down or sent away, anxiety due to the distress that this has caused their parents and fear of some or all dogs. Signs that your child is experiencing emotional distress or even post traumatic stress include, nightmares, social withdrawal, fear of going outside or other changes in behavior that surface after the incident.

Please remember that no matter what, it is NOT YOUR CHILDS FAULT that they were bitten by a dog. If the dog was supervised and secure the child would not have encountered the dog. Be sure to reassure your child that it is not his fault and avoid using language that might add to a childs guilt ("you should have..." or "why didnt you..." or "if only you had..." or "I told you not to..."). In many cases neither the child nor the supervising adult, nor the dog owner realized that there was a danger of a bite because the dog was a generally friendly family pet. In other cases the child encountered a strange dog running loose, a situation that should have been prevented by the dog owner. Learning about dog body language and how to read the signs from a dog will help prevent these types of bites in the future and will be empowering for the child. We do not blame the victim, but we do encourage education for children just as we would for any hazard. The more they know, the less likely they are to be hurt.

Child psychiatrist Dr. R. Larry Schmitt recommends that parents repeatedly encourage and allow their child to talk about the incident and their feelings.

Read an article by Dr. Schmitt about why it is important to keep encouraging your child to talk about the bite or attack and more importantly to listen to your child.

Find out more and read answers by Dr. Schmitt to frequently asked questions from parents.

Dr. Schmitt will be giving a lecture for parents about how to help a child after a dog bite. This will be held at the San Diego Humane Society on May 22 from 6:30-8:00 PM. If your child has been bitten, be sure to attend so that you know how to prevent lasting emotional effects.

Click here for more information or to register. 

Help us with our research into the lingering effects of a childhood dog bite by taking our survey:

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New perspective on dog breeding part 1 puppies conditioning in the womb

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This article by Larry Mueller was published in Outdoor Life 15 years ago, in 1998. Since then the science of genetics and epigenetics have advanced tremendously but the conclusion has not changed that much. If you want to breed superdogs, youd better start really, really early in a dogs life. The next installment will present a current perspective on the points raised in Larrys article.

Building The Superdog

Beginning Before Birth

The where, when, why and how of starting a superdog

Larry Mueller

Hunting Dogs Editor, Outdoor Life, 1998

     The new century for dogs is now. Modern science has poised the dog world for a fastforward of unprecedented proportions. In the past, superdogs were rare accidents of nature - naturals that made even first timers believe they were great trainers. And now we know how those accidents happen. We hold the simple secrets to building our own superdogs from scratch.

  

How early can we begin the conditioning which could lead to a superdog? Five months? Eight weeks? Ninety days? Would you believe… in the womb? Its true. We have scientific evidence that the fetus is not sealed in isolation. It lives in its mothers world.

Interestingly, before Mendel discovered genes, breeders were hunting pregnant bitches to produce superior pups. After Mendels theory caught on, that practice was called an old wives tale. Genetics allowed us to break breeding down to numbers and predict a few traits like coat color. So, we assumed that breeding is a crap shoot of many-sided gene dice. All traits, behavioral and physical alike, were thought to be locked m place at birth. It was a neatly packaged theory that shrank nature to fit our head size. To believe it, however, required ignoring all the loopholes and protecting our ignorance against obvious evidence to the contrary.

  

But this is for the future. For now, were conditioning fetuses to become great hunting dogs: Proof that its possible comes from the Universityof California, Berkeley. Dr. Marion Diamond, professor of anatomy, divided laboratory rats into two groups. In one rats were housed singly in boxes with just food and water. In the other, groups of rats lived together and enjoyed toys which were changed periodically - a mentally challenging environment.

  

At maturity, Marion Diamond sacrificed some of both groups and physically measured the cortex areas of their brains. The cortexes had actually grown thicker in the challenged rats. For the first time, it was proven that the anatomy of an animal brain could be changed by experience. Subsequent maze tests m other laboratories proved that rats with thicker cortexes were smarter and quicker to learn.

     

In a second study, Professor Diamond placed pregnant rats in both deprived and challenging environments. Again, the challenged rats had the thicker cortexes. But get this: So did their offspring! Somehow, the mothers experiences had improved their babies ability to learn.

  

Can this happen in dogs as well as rats? Of course. As Dr. Diamond points out, the number of neurons in a single column of cortical nerve cells is the same in rats, dogs and man. The number of dendrites (branchlike extensions) and the resulting complexity of circuitry is what creates some of the differences between species.

I asked Professor Diamond whether given the olfactory propensity of dogs and the fact that scent is tasted as well as smelled - there might be a biological connection telling the fetuses that their hunting mother is excited and what odor is responsible. Sound reasonable? "It does," she said, cautioning, however, that she believes everything is possible until proven otherwise.

  

How might the fetus be conditioned by the mother s experience? My own theory is that tasted odor, like medicine held under the tongue, quickly enters the bloodstream. At the same time, excitement releases adrenaline into the bloodstream. Brain chemicals such as seratonin fire into the gaps between the dendrites. A percentage of those chemicals are recycled to be used again by the brain. The remainder enters the bloodstream, which, in a pregnant bitch, also flows through the unborns brain where it reproduces sensations much like the mothers.

  

Whether my theory is right or wrong (veterinary neurologist and Auburn Universityprofessor Larry Myers says Im close, if not dead on) were certain that challenging the pregnant bitch will enlarge the offsprings cortex. Training will be easier. And if my theory is right, the pups will likely have a strong preference for the scent that excites their mother. Deer chasing should be minimized.

  

I believe that the time to make the greatest impression on the fetus is the last 21 days of gestation. (Since this was published in Outdoor Life, NBC reported that Dr. David Min used ultrasound to track heartbeats and movements of human fetuses. They began responding to parents voices and music at 26 weeks, verifying the third trimester as the time of greatest opportunity for influencing the unborn.)

Additional support for hunting the pregnant bitch comes from Missourieducator, Red Setter breeder and trainer, Bruce Ludwig. Except for heat-of-summer litters, Ludwig hunts his bitches until the last week. "Ive definitely seen more pointing intensity in pups from hunted bitches, Bruce said. And as an educator I see a parallel in children. From all walks of life and degrees of intelligence, those mothers who are physically and mentally active during pregnancy bear children who react noticeably better to sight, sound, and touch. Its most apparent before learned responses form, but it carries over to superior grades later."

  

But will breeders hunt their pregnant bitches? Should we risk hunting ours? Weve always pampered them. I can only answer with more questions. Have you ever known a coyote who took off two months from hunting to have her pups? Have you ever known a young coyote that wouldnt hunt? Not hunting the pregnant bitch may well be the first step in producing all those worthless dogs we see.

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