A Dog Named Lucky
~ Author Unknown ~

Anyone who has pets will really like this. You'll like it even if you don't, and may decide you need one.

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky. A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three-year-old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home, Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot. Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem. She was covered, literally blanketed, in every treasure Lucky owned!

While she had slept the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Live everyday to the fullest...because every day is a blessing from God! 

Here is a video demonstrating how to teach a dog to play fetch.  This systematic method works well for dogs who do not like to pick things up or hold things in their mouth by Sophia Yin. Anybody interested in dogs will love this site. Link is 

www.http://drsophiayin.com

A sick dog is every pet owner's nightmare. As your dog's first line of defense against serious illness, it's your job to know him better than anyone else, and to catch it when he's telling you something's not right. He actually can tell you a lot about where it hurts--as long as you know what to look for. Here is a list of the most common sick dog symptoms and what what those symptoms could mean.

Common Dog Illness Symptoms:

• Lethargy
  
• Agitation
  
• Stretching and Bowing
  
• Confusion
  
• Head-Pressing
  
• Loss of Appetite
  
• Increased Thirst and Urination
  
• Vomiting
  
• Diarrhea
  
• Coughing
  
• Pale Gums
  
• Changes in Body Temperature
  

Has your dog's behavior changed?

• Lethargy is the most common sign of illness. Sick dogs often lie quietly in a curled position.
  
• Dogs in pain may be irritable and restless, and may hide, dig, pant, and tremble.
  

• Dogs with abdominal pain often stretch and bow.
  

• A dog with breathing difficulties may refuse to lie down or if he does, will keep his head raised.
  

• Confusion, head-pressing (act of pressing the head against objects for no apparent reason), or seizures may indicate neurological problems.
  

Have your dog's eating, drinking, or elimination changed?

• Sick dogs often lose their appetite. Some endocrine disorders can causei increased appetite, however.

• Increased thirst and urination may indicate kidney disease or diabetes.
  

•  Frequent, sudden attempts to urinate, especially if only small amounts are produced or if accompanied by signs of pain, is a sick dog symptom that may indicate a urinary tract infection.
  

• Painful urination, straining to urinate, or blood in the urine may indicate urinary stones.
  

•  Inability to urinate is a life threatening emergency.
  

Is your dog regurgitating or vomiting?

•  Regurgitating food right after eating can indicate an esophageal problem.
  
• Vomiting food after it's been in the stomach can indicate poisoning, blockage, or a host of problems. Consult your veterinarian immediately if your dog vomits feces-like matter (which could indicate an intestinal blockage) or blood (which may resemble coffee grounds), has accompanying fever or pain, or if the vomiting lasts more than a few hours.
  

Does your dog have diarrhea?

• Diarrhea is a dog illness symptom that can result from nervousness, a change in diet or water, food sensitivities, intestinal parasites, infections, poisoning, or many illnesses. It's not uncommon for dogs to have blood in their diarrhea, but diarrhea with lots of blood, or accompanied by vomiting, fever, or other symptoms of illness warrants a call to the veterinarian.
  

• Bright red blood in your dog's stool indicates a source lower in the digestive tract, while dark black tarry stools indicate a source higher in the digestive tract. (more info on dog poop)
  

Is your dog coughing?

Coughing can be caused by foreign bodies, tracheal collapse, tumors, kennel cough, and heart disease, among others. Coughing that occurs mostly at night or after exercise may suggest congestive heart failure. Kennel cough is characterized by a gagging or honking cough, often a week after being around infected dogs.

Is your dog's gum color off?

If you suspect a problem, ....... read more

International Drug Traffickers Continue to Use Dogs as Mules

by Charlotte Reed

Published March 21, 2013

In early December of 1994, an Old English Sheepdog was shipped to New York’s JFK Airport from Colombia with five pounds of cocaine surgically implanted in her stomach. Like in the movie Maria Full of Grace (2004), the dog (eventually nicknamed Coke) experienced a few trials and tribulations before settling down into a new life in New York City. Unfortunately, these days, dogs used as drug mules have not been so lucky.

Earlier in the week, the Italian police arrested 75 people from across northern Italy and Rome for international drug trafficking. According to the ANSA, the Italian news agency, the suspects are members of a gang with ties to South American drug cartels. The gang used large dogs, such as Great Danes, Labradors and Mastiffs, as drug mules, force-feeding them bags of cocaine (weighing up to 2.8 pounds) and then later cutting open their stomachs to extract the drugs. Authorities note that suspects have killed at least 50 dogs in the course of their drug operation.

This abusive practice, of course, can result in fatal results for the unfortunate dogs involved. According to Steve Weinstein, DVM of the Howard Beach Animal Clinic in Jamaica, New York that treated Coke, “the dog was surgically implanted with the drugs in her abdomen which meant that if she hadn’t gotten sick, due the unsterilized balloons which caused an infections, they could have stayed with her forever.” Weinstein who had a small practice near the airport at the time and treated the bomb, drug and port authority dogs explained that hundreds of dogs pass through that airport every year and that the reason that he was asked to treat this particular dog was because a Customs Agent spotted the failing dog upon her arrival in the U.S. 

“Great care went into the operation surrounding her because the drug traffickers waited at least 10 days until her incision healed before shipping her out. “

But the Italian dogs did not have handlers who went to such great care.

“If the dogs ingested the balloons of drugs, they would have to be shipped out immediately because the stomach acids would start to break down any wrappings covering the drugs,” said Dr. Weinstein.  “It is doubtful that they could have passed the drugs.”

This is incident of animal abuse and many more like it will continue to go on, unless suspicious activity is reported. If you suspect something, please say something....... Read More

Using Obedience As A Way Of Life

Often, when people think of obedience training, they think of “perfect” dogs. Show dogs, police canines or at the very least, extremely obedient pets who follow every given command.

While having a very obedient dog does have its benefits, even the average dog can be much more easier to enjoy with a little obedience training. Simple commands, such as the “heel” (walk at my side), “sit,” “down” and “stay” should be taught not simply as a neat trick to do in the kitchen for a treat, but mainly for the purpose of using the commands on a day-to-day basis.

For example, if your dog knows how to “stay” well, you can pin your front door wide open for your convenience when carrying in packages. The pet who is good at the “down/stay” is easier to keep at bay when mopped floors are drying. And guests surely appreciate when your pooch doesn’t pounce all over them when they visit.

Begin by working with your dog in a very low distraction environment, such as indoors. As your pet shows that he understands what the commands mean, you can gradually practice in higher distraction areas, such as in your own back yard, out front, around your neighborhood and eventually at places such as parks and shopping centers.

Once your dog knows the basic commands, don’t forget to use them as a way of life in everyday situations so you can enjoy your pet more. A dog who sits while you put the leash on is much easier to deal with. One who doesn’t pull can be walked by the kids. A pet who comes when called is far less likely to become injured or lost. The examples could go on and on, and once you realize the possibilities, you too will surely think of many additional ways to enjoy your pet through obedience training!

Lori Verni-Fogarsi has been an author, speaker, small business consultant, and Certified Master Trainer for 18+ years. Her novel, “Momnesia,” (contemporary women’s fiction) has been designated a National Indie Excellence Book Awards Finalist, and her nonfiction book, “Everything You Need to Know About House Training Puppies and Adult Dogs,” has been widely acclaimed in its genre. To learn more, please visit www.LoriTheAuthor.com and join Lori on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LoriTheAuthor.

http://freedogtraininginfo.com/194/using-obedience-as-a-way-of-life/

Why your dog really DOES love you (and it's not just because of all the treats you give it!)

By Bruce Fogle
 
The look of love: Can dog's open up their hearts like humans?

Some years ago I wrote an article for this newspaper about my feelings on having to put down my golden retriever, Macy.

Your response was overwhelming, with many letters and emails expressing gratitude that an old vet like me, and a man at that, had talked openly about the personal pain I felt when my pet’s life ended.

One of those who had clearly read my musings was my client Michael, the owner of Molly, a collie-cross who suffered irreversible kidney failure last autumn.

‘You know how I feel, Bruce,’ he said when I arrived at the family home to give Molly a lethal injection. His wife Tricia stayed in the next room and Michael stayed with me — the opposite of what usually happens when I end an animal’s life. In my experience, men find it more unbearable to see their pets die.

As Michael bent over his old girl and I injected the overdose of barbiturate, his tears dropped like tiny pearls on her still face and he said something which got me thinking. ‘You know Bruce, she loved us as much as we loved her.’

Scientists find this idea hard to handle. They say only animals with ‘higher emotions’ — humans — are capable of love.

But Michael’s words came back to me this week when I read newspaper reports claiming the dog has been man’s best friend for far longer than anyone imagined. They described how archaeologists digging in Siberia and Belgium found two canine skulls dating back 33,000 years.

Unlike their wolf ancestors, who had long narrow jaws and large teeth, perfectly suited for grabbing their prey and tearing its meat off the bone, these creatures had far more blunted features with smaller teeth.

This indicated they were domesticated long before the archaeologists’ previous estimate of 15,000 years ago. The researchers suggest that, apart from using these early dogs as an emergency food source or to follow animal scent trails, our ancestors also valued them as companions — just as we do today.

And I believe the bond between our two species has been so enduring because dogs are as capable of loving us as we are of loving them.

This is not the wishful thinking of a sentimental old dog-lover. Studies have shown that when dogs are in physical contact with their owners, their brains release the ‘pleasure chemical’ dopamine in exactly the same way as our human brains do when we feel happy and relaxed.

Of course, scientists argue that dogs learn to use all their ‘cute’ emotional displays — including wagging tails, dropped ears and lips drawn back in a ‘smile’ — simply to get rewards such as attention, treats and access to the great outdoors.

The proof, they say, is that if our dogs were handed over to new owners they’d use exactly the same techniques on them. I find this argument rather silly.

Like all dog owners, I have been subjected to the big brown eyes routine. But the fact that dogs exhibit cupboard love in the hunt for a biscuit, doesn’t mean that they are not capable of purer forms of that emotion, too.

After all, scientists are happy to recognise different types of aggression in dogs: sex-related, territorial, pain-induced and so on.

So why shouldn’t they recognise dogs also feel different kinds of love — such as love of games, love of possessions, love of family, love of us?

'Studies have shown that when dogs are in physical contact with their owners, their brains release the chemical dopamine'

One emotion which dogs certainly demonstrate is that inner calm and contentment we humans experience in the company of our loved ones, regardless of what they can provide for us in material terms.

This is something I have seen in all the golden retrievers.........read more 

I must say I totally resonate with a lot of this. If I look at the dogs that have been part of my life since I started a career in dogs, each and every one has taught me so much - thank you to my darling dogs past and present!

An old dog training truism says "you get the dog you deserve", which can be interpreted in a couple different ways.


There’s an old dog training truism that says “you get the dog you deserve. ” That expression can be looked at in a couple of ways: you “craft” the dog you deserve, meaning you raise the dog so that he is a product of all that you teach him (or don't teach him), or the dog you end up with was “sent” to you to teach you a lesson. Obviously the first interpretation makes the most sense, but I like to get all mystical and take the second one into account as well. The dogs I’ve been “sent” over the years have taught me many timely lessons.

Sumner, our wonderful Boxer that was featured in my last book, “Bonding With Your Dog: A Trainer’s Secrets for Building a Better Relationship,” came to us at a year old with severe socialization and leash reactivity issues. I was in the infancy of my dog training career when we adopted him, and he taught me so much about dealing with challenging (and embarrassing) leash issues. I was able to translate the scientific approach to counter conditioning and desensitization to one that could work in the real world. (Life doesn’t happen in a laboratory, and even the most effective training plans can be tough to work out on the streets!) Sumner was my greatest training project. He went from hating the sight of other dogs, to mellowing out enough to be a shop dog in my little dog store. He was living breathing proof that dog-friendly dog training works, even for those dogs that seem hopeless.

Our current dog Olive came to me at a time in my career when I’d grown overconfident about my puppy training skills. I was convinced that I’d have her housetrained within two weeks, and that she’d be a textbook perfect student in all things training. I was in for a rude awakening. Olive had challenges that I couldn’t even begin to understand or explain, even though we adopted her at a youthful eight weeks old. It only took me a.......read more

GUIDE DOG IN TRAINING
Courtesy of Guide Dog Association

these guys do wonderful work, please see if there is any way you can support them. 

www.guidedog.org.za



It might seem like a miracle to some people that a young, energetic, boisterous Labrador can be transformed into a guide dog. This article will explain the stages of training from the time that the pup graduates from the Puppy Raising Programme until it is a working guide dog.

The Puppy Raising Scheme was developed to provide The South African Guide-dogs Association for the Blind with dogs who are well prepared for both advanced training and their future work as Guide Dogs.

The majority of the puppies come from our own breeding programme, but we do accept selected donated puppies occasionally. The pups are placed with their Puppy Raising families at around 7 weeks of age and here the first stage of training begins.

Puppy Raisers are very special volunteers who take a puppy into their homes, lives and hearts for11 to 18 months and then, just when that mischievous puppy has developed into a well behaved and mature dog, they give them back!  Many of them then start all over again with a new puppy!

While the puppy is with the Puppy Raisers, they are socialized as much as possible. It is very important that the dogs are introduced to as wide a range of experiences, places, people and animals as possible.

The pups need to be:-

• Introduced to people of all races and ages, especially children.
  

• Taught to relieve themselves only on command when on lead and working – and not to mess in inappropriate places. 
• Introduced to and be able to behave in an appropriate manner in shopping centres, post offices, shops, restaurants etc. 
• Taught how to behave in the home, e.g. not messing, chewing, sleeping on furniture etc. 
• Taught how to behave around people, e.g. not jumping up on them.         Taught basic obedience work.  
• Taught how to walk on a lead, according to Guide-dogs specifications, e.g. no sniffing, scavenging or pulling and without being distracted by what is going on around them, e.g. barking dogs at gates.

The Puppy Raising Scheme is a supervised programme, beginning with an 8 week puppy socializing course at our Training Centre.  The older pups move onto a monthly group or individual training session with one of the Puppy Raising Supervisors, either at the SAGA training centre, a shopping centre or a suburban area. All these training sessions take place during working hours, Monday to Friday.

Puppies can only learn appropriate and desired behaviour when the Puppy Raisers are with them to teach them, so a home where the puppy would be left alone all day during the week would not be suitable. In addition the puppies need to attend training sessions and the Puppy Raising Supervisors need to be able to do home visits with the Puppy Raiser and not just the puppy. Homes in which the Puppy Raiser works ½ day are however acceptable. Puppy Raisers, for the reasons stated above, need to reside in Johannesburg or Pretoria.

The male pups are castrated between 6 and 8 months of age, but the females are usually only spayed after a year of age, so they will have at least one season while on the Puppy Raising Scheme.

The South African Guide-dogs Association covers the veterinary costs incurred for pups on the scheme, in addition to vaccinations, deworming and micro-chipping. When Puppy Raisers go away on holiday or bitches are in season, we will board the pups in our boarding kennel.  Food for the pups on the scheme is also sponsored.

Once the young dog is about a year old it is ready for its formal training. It will leave its Puppy Raising home and come into the Gladys Evan’s Training Centre for its training. Each Guide Dog Mobility Instructor is responsible for the training of 6 dogs. It may seem like a lot of dogs for one person to train but the dogs are worked individually. Each dog is worked for a short session, praised for good behaviour and then given a rest period before it has its next lesson.

It is very important that there is a good bond between the dog and the instructor. Once this has been achieved then the instructor will spend some time assessing the dog. A guide dog needs to be calm and confident in all environments. Not every dog has the correct temperament but dogs that have been well socialised through the Puppy Rearing Programme are more likely to be successful. During the assessment potential problem areas will be identified and closely monitored, if there is no improvement than the dog may not be suitable as a guide dog.

The next phase is obedience training. Learner guide dogs are taught to “sit”, “down”, “stand” and “stay” and these commands are practiced at every opportunity. Every guide dog spends a large part of its day in social situations (not working in harness but spending time on lead at the guide dog owner’s place of work, at church, in shops, restaurants etc). The dog is expected to behave in an obedient and calm manner. Obedience is also the foundation for the more advanced guiding work that will follow. Only when the dog is a lot more advanced will it wear a harness. The early training is only done on a lead.

One of the first lessons is to teach the dog to walk in the correct “guiding position.” A guide dog has to learn to walk ¾ of a body length in front of its instructor (this position gives the blind or partially sighted owner time to respond to obstacles and environmental hazards). The young dogs in training are very eager to get going so the “forward” command is often easier to teach than the “stop” command. The new recruits also have to learn the “back” command. Each dog is different and the energetic dogs learn to walk faster (or “Hup-up”) quicker than they learn to slow down (or “steady”).

A blind person and guide dog work together as a team. The blind person needs to know how to direct their guide dog from their home to their destination. Each route is made up of a series of straight lines with left and right turns at certain points. Learning to walk in a straight line is a skill that every potential guide dog must master. Once the dog is “on the straight and narrow” (and is no longer trying to walk up driveways and around corners) it is taught the left and right turn. Dogs seem far better at learning their left from their right than most people. To ensure that there is clear communication between the dog and the instructor most of the commands have a hand signal, a foot position and a vocal command. This also makes it easier for the dog when it has to make the transition from its instructor to its blind owner.

Guide dog training harnesses many of the dog’s natural instincts like the dogs willingness to please the pack leader and the dog’s instinct of self preservation. Not every natural instinct of the dog is beneficial to the training. It is natural for all dogs to be aware of their environment but the guide dog should be able to focus on its work even in environments where there is a high level of distractions (food, scents, children, dogs, birds etc). If a dog in training lacks this concentration then it may not be suitable as a guide dog. Most of the early training takes place in quieter environments; once the dog can stay focused on its work here it is ready to move into busier areas.

In the early stages of training the instructor tries to keep the training as positive and stress free as possible. The instructor uses a technique called “guided learning” where the dog is shown the correct behaviour over and over again. Dogs have excellent memories and after a while they start to understand what is expected of them. The instructor is constantly observing the dog’s body language so that they can prevent the dog from making mistakes and praise the dog timeously for good behaviour. Guided learning is used extensively to teach the dog to guide its handler around obstacles. Ideally the dog should see the instructor as an extension of its own body when negotiating obstacles. This means that it should leave enough space for the instructor when moving around obstacles. The instructor shows the dog how much space to leave in the early stages. When the dog is more advanced the instructor would allow the dog to decide how much space to leave. If the dog has not left enough space then the instructor would draw the dog’s attention to the obstacle and direct the dog around it. Once the dog has settled into its training routine it will start to wear the leather harness. At this stage the harness is worn without the metal handle that provides a link between a working guide dog and its blind owner. Training gradually moves into busier areas where the dog has the opportunity to learn how to cope with crowded pavements, street vendors, escalators, steps, lifts and the daily hustle and bustle of city life.

Contrary to popular belief the guide dog does not decide when it is safe to cross a road. Crossing a road is potentially very dangerous and dogs can’t be expected to understand the complexities of modern day traffic. If a guide dog is approaching a cross road it is taught to stop automatically when it reaches the road edge (this is called the downkerb as there is a step down from the pavement into the road). The instructor gives the dog the “forward” command when it is safe to cross. The dog will cross in a straight line and step up onto the upkerb and continue in a straight line unless it is re-directed by the instructor.

In the final stages of training a guide dog is experienced enough to work in the full harness (leather jacket and metal handle). At this stage the dog is also taught traffic work. The dog is given the command to cross the road but at the same time a car approaches from the right hand side. This car prevents the dog from leaving the downkerb. In time the dog learns to disobey the instructor’s command to leave the pavement if there is a car approaching from the right. If the car approaches from the left hand side then the instructor will teach the dog to stop in the road and only proceed once the car has passed. Traffic training only gives the dog a basic awareness of cars and it is hoped that it will assist the guide dog owner in the event of an emergency.

The guide dog is now fully trained and it is the instructor’s responsibility to test the dogs work. The instructor will test the dog by working the dog while wearing a blindfold. This gives the instructor an idea of the dogs understanding of its role. The instructor is generally less confident under blindfold, their balance and general following of the dog will usually deteriorate. This is excellent preparation for the dog who will shortly be guiding a blind person who may not be used to using a guide dog. The dog is now ready to be matched to a blind or partially sighted person.

The hard work does not stop here, the matching of the guide dog with its new owner and the training that the new owner will receive which will enable him, or her, to use the guide dog safely and effectively.

By Miranda Hersey Helin 

 In case anyone reading this needed confirmation, treating your dog with aggression creates aggression in your dog. In an article published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science earlier this year, researchers from the University of Pennsylvania released their findings on aversive training techniques. 
The abstract:

Prior to seeking the counsel of a veterinary behaviorist many dog owners have attempted behavior modification techniques suggested by a variety of sources. Recommendations often include aversive training techniques which may provoke fearful or defensively aggressive behavior. The purpose of this study was to assess the behavioral effects and safety risks of techniques used historically by owners of dogs with behavior problems.

A 30-item survey of previous interventions was included in a behavioral questionnaire distributed to all dog owners making appointments at a referral behavior service over a 1-year period. For each intervention applied, owners were asked to indicate whether there was a positive, negative, or lack of effect on the dog's behavior, and whether aggressive behavior was seen in association with the method used. Owners were also asked to indicate the source of each recommendation. One-hundred-and-forty surveys were completed. The most frequently listed recommendation sources were “self” and “trainers”. Several confrontational methods such as “hit or kick dog for undesirable behavior” (43%), “growl at dog” (41%), “physically force the release of an item from a dog's mouth” (39%), “alpha roll” (31%), “stare at or stare [dog] down” (30%), “dominance down” (29%), and “grab dog by jowls and shake” (26%) elicited an aggressive response from at least a quarter of the dogs on which they were attempted. Dogs presenting for aggression to familiar people were more likely to respond aggressively to the confrontational techniques “alpha roll” and yelling “no” compared to dogs with other presenting complaints (P < 0.001). In conclusion, confrontational methods applied by dog owners before their pets were presented for a behavior consultation were associated with aggressive responses in many cases. It is thus important for primary care veterinarians to advise owners about risks associated with such training methods and provide guidance and resources for safe management of behavior problems.

You can purchase and view the full article here from their site



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