Loose dog encounters

What do you do when you are walking your dog in the park and all of a sudden there is a loose dog running towards you?

1. Stay calm, don’t run or scream as this will make the loose dog focus on you and your dog. 

2. If your dog is friendly and responds well to cues ask her to sit by your side and stay. If your dog is not friendly, skip to step 3.

3. As the dog comes towards you drop treats on the ground and walk away. This will help distract the dog while you move away. Always get your dog to safety first, put her back in the car or tie her to a tree, then deal with the loose dog.

4. I usually carry a spare slip lead in my pocket, but you can loop anything from a regular leash to a strong rope of any kind. If the dog is friendly, loop it around the loose dog without coming too close. Once looped it will be easier to control the dog while you plan your next move. If the dog doesn’t seem friendly get your dog to safety and call animal control.

5. Call for help (a friend or animal control), wait for the owner to show up (if you see them coming towards you) or look for the closest vet office to scan the dog for a microchip.

Don’ts in dog training

We normally hear all sorts of things that we should do when training our dogs, but what about things we shouldn't do? Here are a couple of things NOT to do when training your dog.

Don't reprimand your dog after the fact.

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, dogs are not looking guilty or trying to spite you. They are usually not aware that you are mad at them for having peed on the rug while you were gone. In fact they are usually reacting to your mood as you walk through the door. All they know is sometimes you come back and are happy to see them and sometimes you walk in and are instantly upset. Adequate punishment is almost impossible to accomplish with is why it is much more effective to work on what your dog can do correctly and build from there.

Don't allow pulling on leash.

With little dogs, sometimes we don't mind a little pulling. But this behavior can lead to inappropriate greetings between dogs, since pressure on the leash puts them instantly on alert. It can put your dog in danger of ingesting something dangerous or even being hit by a car.

Hugs are for humans.

While some dogs grow to bear a hug, the vast majority of dogs feel trapped and uncomfortable when we hug them. Sometimes it can lead to a dog growling, snapping or even biting a human that they normally like. Better ways to reward a dog can be treats, gentle petting or a fun game of fetch.

Don't teach your dog to speak.

This is encouraging barking, so unless you really enjoy a barking dog at all hours, be very careful about this one. It can be fun for some but in most cases we end up with a dog that demands food, toys or attention with loud incessant barking.

Don't encourage begging.

Contrary to some people’s beliefs, begging is not caused by feeding “human” food. In fact it is caused by where the pup is being fed. Even if you feed your dog only kibble but do it from the dining table or while you cook, your dog will learn that being attentive in such circumstances is rewarding and will therefore beg every time. 

Don't reward jumping

A lot of people don’t even realize they are even doing it. Acknowledging a dog that jumps either by petting, pushing off, looking at or telling them “off’ is inadvertently encouraging the behavior. And while that might stop the jumping at that time it only reinforces the jumping for next time. It is usually better to ask the dog for a “sit” as they are approaching the human. Like this the dog will associate fast, lovely attention with sitting rather than jumping.

Meet our new dog trainer: 

Tracy Frier

Tracy has always been a HUGE dog lover, but her love for big dogs started when she rescued an English Mastiff named Wilson.  Wilson was just the start to her dog obsession because more rescue dogs followed and included a Pit Bull mix named Izzy, a Pit Bull/Whippet mix named Malfurion and a finally Boxer mix named Rhaegar. Tracy decided she wanted to help more dogs and started volunteering at her local animal shelter in Denton, TX. She volunteered weekly, but it was not enough and she felt that she could do more. So she picked up a camera and started photographing the dogs to try an increase adoptions, but it still wasn’t enough. Around this time she heard about a program at the University of North Texas called Behavior Analysis and there was even a faculty member who’s interest was in animal training and learning. Tracy applied for the prestigious program and was accepted. Tracy fell in love with behavior analysis and animal training and has dedicated her life to helping our 4 legged animals we call man’s best friend. Tracy wants to help you learn to communicate with your dog with the power of positive reinforcement, so that you can have the furry companion you have always wanted!

Gunner

Dog's Birthday:

9-18-14

How did you obtain your dog?

Breeder in Azle

How old was he when you got him?

7 weeks

How would you best describe him in 5 words?

He is a hot mess

What is your dog's favorite food?

Green beans

Cutest thing your dog does?

He knows when he's in trouble and will put himself in time out.

Smartest thing your dog does?

Clean up his toys.

Anything else you would like to share about your dog?

He is a gentle giant. He looks vicious, but such a sweet soul.

Treibball or Push Ball

Treibball is a very exciting dog sport that can be practiced in a fairly small yard. It started in Germany as a way to engage working dogs in an urban setting. It is a great game to exercise dogs, or dogs that need a bit of entertainment. Do you have a working dog without a job? This is for her, specially if she is a herding breed.

Playing consists of a combination of classic obedience and herding cues. Instead of herding livestock the pup herds big exercise balls. The dog must use her nose or shoulders to drive 8 balls into a goal under 10 minutes. The first ball to go in the goal should be the point ball, after that the dog must drive the balls she is asked to push. For example the blue ball or the large ball first. In this sport the dog runs around while the handler stands at the goal and cues, so the handler doesn't need to be in great shape like in other sports.

Some of the cues your dog needs to learn to play treibball are target, stand, stop, down and how to move off leash to the left and right. You can begin with just one ball and as your dog becomes more proficient add balls of different sizes and colors. And later who knows? People and their dogs travel  nationally and internationally for competitions, you might like it too. 

Corgi

There are two different types of Welsh Corgi. The Pembroke Welsh Corgi and the Cardigan Welsh Corgi, they were originally one breed but they separated the breeds in the 1930’s. These dogs originate in the British Isles and date back more than 3000 years. They are a royal dog, Queen Elizabeth II of England keeps many of them and they often appear in pictures with her. 

Corgis are part of the herding group and therefore considered a working dog. They were bred to  nip at cattle’s heels to move them out into fields, unlike most other herding breeds that are meant to bring the livestock close in. Corgis are wonderful little workers that are deceptively fast.

The Cardigan Welsh Corgi is one of the first breeds in Britain. They have a long tail almost reaching the ground. In the US most Pembroke Welsh Corgis have their tails docked very short which can help you tell them apart. Pembroke are usually under 30lbs and no more than 10 inches tall while Cardigan are a bit bigger up to 38lbs and 12 inches tall. Both have their ears perked up giving them the look of a fox.

Both types of Corgi come in a wide variety of colors. While most have some white the other colors (black, blue merle, brindle, red or sable) should be the prominent color. They can have tan points too. A dense, fluffy under coat and longer flatter overcoat are typical. The Corgi coat can be quite weather resistant and therefore help them work in cold, rainy weather. However most of the Corgis you’ll meet love hanging out indoors and sleeping on the couch. They shed quite a bit so regular brushing and baths will help keep the house clean.

This dog is very trainable and was bred to think for itself. Welsh Corgis are great guardians with a big dog bark, extremely loyal and friendly. They usually love children though it can be expected to have this dog nip at heels and bark since they were bred to do so.

Though small, they need proper exercise to stay fit. Corgis are quite food motivated so care must be taken to not over feed and make them fat. Due to the shorter legs they shouldn’t be encouraged to jump off high spots like furniture or borders. However they do enjoy sports like agility and fly ball and do very well in them due to their amazing speed.

If you think a Welsh Corgi might be a good addition to your family make sure you find a reputable breeder to avoid health concerns. Or adopt one from the various breed specific rescues.

RagaMuffin Cat

The RagaMuffin breed is know for their docile nature and even temper. They are calm, great with kids and love to be carried. They actually get part of their name from the fact that when you carry them they go limp in your arms, like a rag doll.

The RagaMuffin Cat is a fairly new breed of cat, born in the US in 1994 as a way to expand the Ragdoll gene pool. They outcrossed with Persians, Himalayans and domestic longhaired to create this super sweet cat.
This cat is a big baby, it takes them a good four years to fully mature, so expect a playful cat that loves attention.

These kitties can easily be found walking the streets in a harness, playing house or being pushed around in a baby stroller. Though they are happy to sleep on your lap they are not a lazy cat, they love to play and many of them can be taught to fetch.

These kitties are quite large, their average weight is between 18 and 20 lbs for males, about 8 to 10 lbs heavier than the average cat. Females are considerably smaller, weighing between 10 and 13 lbs, still bigger than most cats. They have rabbit like, long silky fur that thankfully doesn’t mat so regular brushing, a nail trim and the occasional bath is all they really need in terms of grooming.

Many of these kittens are born white and then develop the color as they grow. They come in all coat colors and patterns. From solid colors, tabby and white, tortoiseshell to mink, all of these cats are pretty unique.

Since RagaMuffins are very trusting and friendly, it is important to keep them indoors only when they are not being watched. They are not well suited for fending for themselves in the great outdoors, but put them in a kitty stroller or a harness and they will certainly enjoy joining you on a short walk.