Let the Dog Whispering Begin...

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© courtesy Amazon

Dog Whisperer fans lined up to take their chance at winning a DVD set from Season 4, Volume 1. It was fun to watch the entries unfold, even as I was a pet bloggers' conference listening to Victoria Stillwell speak--LOL. They are so different and yet their message is the same: help the dog understand what we want from him. I guess I'd have to say I'm a fan of both for very different reasons. If you look deep enough into any philosophy of teaching you will find a lesson worthwhile. 

© Carrie Boyko
V.S. in the Petsitting Area
at Barkworld

That lesson this week goes to Shilohsmom. We hope she will enjoy many hours of watching this famous and very dynamic speaker relay his methods, case by case. If you would like to purchase your own Dog Whisperer DVD, you can visit Amazon and find this exact set at this Dog Whisperer page.




Full disclosure: This DVD package was acquired by me and is being offered as a promotional event. No purchase is necessary to enter. The above does not constitute a product review, but merely a sharing of some observations about various training and dog handling methods. Please read more about my contest and giveaway rules here.

Dog Whisperer Season 4: Vol 1 Free to One Forever Home

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© courtesy Amazon

People are always asking me what I think about Cesar Millan. He's the star to the controversial, yet often popular Dog Whisperer TV Show. Airing on the National Geographic Channel on Friday nights, Cesar has won many fans among owners, and at the same time, many opponents in the dog training world.


I'm no dog trainer. Yes, I train my own dogs. I'm a DIYer at heart.  But that doesn't make me an expert on all breeds, behaviors and techniques. Over the years, I have attended traditional treat-based training classes many times. They work when the owner is diligent. I had the opportunity to try a Barkbusters class with Tanner and learned a bit about their no-treat techniques. This was all well and good fur us, yet may not have worked for a puppy. At the time, Tanner and Oliver were both beyond that first year of basic commands, and in the process of getting their coveted CGC certifications.


I also enjoy immersing myself in Cesar's calm attitude. Do I think his approach will work for everyone? Absolutely not! I do think that  most owners could learn a thing or two about their own behavior around their dogs. That's where I believe Cesar is setting a good example. 


His trademark "Ch" correction noise was met with little more than a miff by my pups, but the Barkbusters "Bah!" was ever more effective. I think each dog and owner need to continue learning and trying new methods throughout the dog's life. I found that new methods brought out a younger Xena, when during her 13th year she began to learn new skills I would never have believed possible had I not seen it for myself. I just changed the way I presented the task, and viola', Xena performed.


For what it's worth, Cesar has a lot of good philosophies and attitudes to share. If you're interested in garnering what you can from his methods, I invite you to enter to win the Season 4: Volume 1 5 DVD set. If you're not into playing the odds, click the link and you can easily order your own package for the going rate at Amazon--about $18.00 as I write this. Please note that this giveaway will run for 2 weeks. You may enter by some methods daily if you wish; however, only the 2 mandatory entries are required to qualify you for the drawing.


If you do not see the Rafflecopter entry form below, simply click on the post title to refresh and it should appear hear in seconds. Good luck!


As Cesar would say, stay calm and assertive.

Pet Blogger Introductions:"Nice to Meet You"

by Carrie Boyko, CEB

© A. Boyko
Xena, Carrie, Tanner and Oliver

Jack and A.J. over at Pup Love invited us to join another blog hop this weekend, designed to introduce ourselves. I see their point. When you enter the world of blogging, and everyone already seems to know one another, you can sometimes feel a bit lost. It's sort of like transferring to a new middle school and trying to figure out where to sit at lunch. Everyone seems to have friends and is already having fun. What a great idea to help us all get acquainted without playing that peer pressure game. Below is a quick shot at my hello. Feel free to leave questions in the comments, and I'll spill. No lack of words here!

Names: Tanner, the Golden Retriever, and Oliver, a Papillon. Xena left us for the Rainbow Bridge in October. You can read about her at her eulogy, and I've linked to one post for Tanner and Oliver that will help you get acquainted.

Humans: Carrie

Blog: Carrie writes All Things Dog Blog. Tanner and Oliver offer commentary and general silliness at 5 Minutes for Fido.

Age: Tanner is 4 1/2 and Oliver is nearly 3 1/2.

Location: Near Orlando (in hot, sunny, humid Florida)

Breeds: Tanner is a Golden Retriever that was a non-standard pup. His breeder practically gave him to us for a food/medical donation. He's far too tall, has an unusually short coat for a Golden, and a knobby occipital lobe, but I love him all the same. I still find it hard to believe anyone could not have loved this goofy, affectionate, loyal dog. 

Oliver is a Papillon with an interesting adoption story. You can read it at the link above in the Name category. You'll probably enjoy the antics of my daughter--his savior.

Best trick: Oliver performs "Go Nite Nite", which translates to "crate" at the speed of light. He also has an adorable pirouette at dinnertime, just to show his excitement. It's an endearing behavior that everyone seems to enjoy witnessing.  

The answer to Tanner's best trick is a toss up. He's an excellent Houdini, managing to unlatch crates, unlock gates, open our front door and even unlatch a child-guard-protected baby gate that humans cannot figure out. He's probably pretty proud of his Houdini skills, but he also takes mealtime very seriously and will sit and wait permission to eat, in a puddle of drool if necessary, until I give him the go ahead. Then there's Fetch. He's an ace at Fetch, Drop It, Leave It, and swimming is his favorite activity. We have spell that word around him. He's one busy guy.

Favorite toy: No good answers here. Tanner loves ALL toys, even Oliver's little 'baby' toys. He enjoys everything he has permission to play with--thankfully not hubby's hats or shoes. 

Oliver is another story, but lately he likes the toys that you insert an empty plastic water bottle inside. He loves their crinkly sound, and these toys are light weight enough for him to pick up and drag around. At 9 lbs., he can't play with Tanners 'big boy' toys. 

Best Friend: Oliver is true to his companion dog heritage. He's bonded to me and hubby and spends most of his time keeping us company, pretty much no matter what we're doing. When he's not with us, he's usually chewing on Tanner's ears, an activity that Tanner seems to think is more of an ear massage--he loves it! 

Tanner, on the other hand, is the epitome of an extrovert. He knows how to work a party and demonstrates those skills at the dog park quite enthusiastically each week, stopping to sniff and visit with everyone. Some even get personal kisses. Best friends? I can't even guess.

Worst Enemy: Tough question. I suppose Oliver is not fond of a thunder storm. He tends to lie down close by and not leave my side. No behavioral issues--he just wants to be near me when the rumbles get going.

Tanner's only enemy is a barrier. He doesn't like to be held back from a social opportunity. If he's off leash--such as at the dog park or in my yard--he'll behave admirably and friendly. He'll heel and walk with me like a perfect angel. Put him on a leash for a walk and sometimes he'll decide he absolutely must visit that friend that is two blocks down. At 70 lbs., I have to put on my imaginary Pack Leader hat and really play boss when I walk him. Thank goodness for good training as a puppy, or he'd be dragging me around like those poor owners on the Dog Whisperer.

Proudest Moment: Tanner is the most proud each time he bolts through the gate at the dog park, making his victory lap, as if to say "I'm here. Let the party begin!"

Oliver now has 2 proudest moments and I can't possibly leave either out. Earning his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) was a big deal for him. Sit and Down always seemed to mean the same thing, so we found ourselves struggling with the simplest of concepts to overcome.

Recently Oliver was accepted into Dogs for the PAWS, and his portrait was painted as a part of this project to build awareness for rescue dogs. We're totally smitten with Miss Anna Marie's fab art. He's so proud; he's bursting. (Me too!) Now he's officially part of the Paws Pack 80; what's not to be proud of about that!

All Things Dog Blog's Niche: Here's one more tweak. If I'm introducing my blog, I might as well offer up some kibble on what we're all about. All Things Dog Blog is primarily a resource that provides solutions for living with dogs. Thus our tagline: Strategies for Happy Dogs and Happy Families. In addition to my problem-solving articles, I offer an Ask the Vet column, penned by holistic veterinarian, Dr. Pat Bradley, and an Ask the Dog Trainer column, where your questions are fielded by a team of training professionals.

Of course, we have to lighten things up a bit occasionally by tossing in a humorous video, a comic relief article, and inviting our readers to submit their stories for RESCUING ROVER  (archives here) and Pup Profiles.

We also offer a Rainbow Bridge Memorial to our readers who wish to have a serene place to remember their fallen pups. With beautiful music playing along with a nice video, you can visit the pups that have joined your loved one, adding their photos, poems, comments and such to our place to remember them by. My Xena is there now also.

Got questions? We've got answers. You can reach us at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com. Find us on Facebook and Twitter too. Hope to hear from you soon. Happy tails! 

Ask the Vet, with Dr. Pat: Circling and Pacing Have Many Possible Causes

by Pat Bradley, DVM

Dearest Dr. Pat,

My bird dog/hunting dog, is about 10. I got her from a friend whose hunting dog had pups; she was the runt and did not sell.  

I think she was about 6 months old when I got her and she has been a good all around dog for me.  Now she is starting to behave a little strange. She doesn't sleep much and circles the yard or the house, pacing all the time. I would think she is tired and would drop but she hardly does till late at nite. 

She runs all day behind me on the tractor and goes with me to town in the truck. She seems better when she is busy with me. Is she just bored or nervous at home? I don't know what to think. 

We don't have a vet within driving distance. She had a rabies shot and does not have any obvious health problems that I can see. What should I do to help her? Is there a way to tell if a dog is in pain?

Yours truly,

 Adley

---------------------------------------------------------

Gosh, Adley. 

Your dog sounds like a wonderful working companion for you on the farm.  Fortunately, it seems that Rabies has been ruled out, not only because she’s had a vaccine, but because it only takes a couple of weeks for a dog to die after it starts to show symptoms like pacing.  

From your description, there are no obvious signs of pain such as limping, yelping, or decreased activity or appetite.  She might also just pant a lot and have a worried expression on her face. But those signs can also just mean she’s feeling nervous.

A few other questions come to mind:

• Are there any signs of a new animal, wild or domestic, coming close to the farm?  If so, she might be feeling the need to patrol her territory more often.
• Is there any reason she might feel more protective of you?  Dogs will sometimes get anxious and patrol more when they sense their human is feeling weak.
• Has she ever had a seizure, even snapping at invisible flies?  Animals with epilepsy often get more restless as the years go by. 

The bottom line is: find a way to get her to a vet for an exam as soon as you can. Lots of other things, including toxicities, thyroid and brain problems, may cause this kind of pacing and restlessness.

If your vet doesn’t find anything that’s treatable, you might try one or more of these :

• Anxiety in dogs can just melt away when they’re guided by an excellent pack leader. Watch the Dog Whisperer and double check your alpha dog skills. 
• Try a flower essence, such as the Bach brand one called Rescue Remedy: Put a few drops into food twice daily for a couple of weeks.
• The homeopathic medicine Arsenicum album, 6X: Give one pellet twice daily for a week.
• Spend 30 minutes or so every day massaging her all over. Soft lighting and soft soothing music in the background can also help. 
  
  Good luck! A great companion like your dog is worth extra attention.

Pat

(c) courtesy P. Bradley

Have a question for Dr. Pat? You can reach us at 
LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com.

For a personal consultation about your pet's needs, visit Holistic Veterinary Services. To read Dr. Pat's other articles, visit her Archives page.

Dr. Pat's opinion or advice does not replace an actual exam with a veterinarian

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Dog Whisperer to Launch Magazine

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This is BIG news for dog lovers. Up until now, Cesar Millan's show, The Dog Whisperer, has been available only to cable viewers and those of us willing to shell out the kibble worth a set of DVDs. Yes, I'll admit, I own them all, or all that are currently available. That's mostly because I don't get cable that provides the Dog Whisperer show to me.

My kids say we're cheap, but the truth is we watch little TV. Better to live our lives than to watch others live their fake ones. Did I say "Get a Life?" Absolutely not. It's your decision.

Getting back to Cesar. He's launching a new magazine as of this month. Have you seen it at the news stand yet? I can't wait. I'm hopeful to catch a few tidbits on topics that always seem to elude me. His insight is amazing and invaluable to those of us willing to give it a chance.

No, his techniques don't work for everyone. You must make a concerted and consistent effort to be a pack leader 24/7. That means you're always in charge and you let your dog make zero decisions for himself. This is clearly not doable for everyone. I get it.

But if you're open minded to absorbing what you can, this may be your ticket. Order your bi-monthly (that's every 2 months) subscription from this Cesars Way Amazon link to the Dog Whisperer Magazine and you're off to the dog training 101. You can do it right here, right now and be done with it.

Opinions? Thoughts? Comments? Rants? Raves? Hit that link at the bottom of the post and sound off!

One last thing. Don't forget to join me for the big introduction on Friday. Our new staff veterinarian, Dr. Jacki, will be introduced, with her first post to be coming soon thereafter. We're very proud to have this new addition and hope to see you here to learn more. For now, be thinking of questions you'd like to ask, and email them to us at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com .

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Preventing Food Aggression

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Food Aggression Starts when

Your Dog Thinks She Owns the Food

I guess this is one of those days when I'm going to get all Cesar Millan on you. You may laugh, but he's got the food thing down. Teaching your dog that the food belongs to you, right from the start, will assure that you will never have a snarling match when you take a table scrap or dog bowl away from your dog.

I may not be an expert, but if my 3 dogs could talk, they would tell you that I own the food. I started with adding my scent to their bowls by rubbing my body oil (from my forehead) onto the outside of the bowl. Then, when I place their food in the bowl, I handle it with my bare hands, making sure my scent is mixed in well.

Asking my dogs to sit or down and then STAY, I place the food in front of them and tell them to leave it. The length of this exercise depends on the age and experience of the dog. Oliver, the youngest, is not quite as patient, yet can still manage 2 minutes when hungry enough. They all know that if they make a move toward the food, the dish goes up on top of the refrigerator. Nothing is worse than that!
When given permission to break their stay with my "All done" command, they understand that they may get up, but still wait and watch for the final grant. Permission to eat comes when I say Take it. Tanner is still tentative about this. He likes a tap on the shoulder, sort of a "go ahead" before he takes it. He will drool all over the floor until I give permission. What a good boy he is.

If I reach for the bowl, he backs up and sits again. When done eating, he remains in his spot until his housemates have finished eating, at which time I probably break the rules. I give him permission to Do the Dishes. He licks out the other bowls, followed by Oliver. Sometimes they do the dishes together. I am still able to take those dishes, though, even when they are still licking. The understanding here is that I am the pack leader, which means I own the food. I like it that way, and they respect it. That is the most important part. No arguments over treats, meals or bones--ever.

Want to know more? This guy is the master. Start with Season I and work your way through.

Tanner is back in the pool at Organic Journey Online, where Woofing Wednesday continues to be a popular post each week. As usual, he is up to his favorite pool game: fetch. Stop in and have a look around. You can subscribe easily, just by typing in your email address at the top right.

Disciplining Your Dog Through Feeding

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Oliver, Xena and Tanner Await

Permission to Eat

Today's post is a requested topic, and one that can be a very good disciplinary tool. What your dog learns from waiting permission to eat is more than it would appear. The myriad lessons include:

• You own the food, the dish, the home
• You are in charge
• You decide when the food is shared
• You choose the place a dog eats
• You establish behavior rules for eating among the pack
• You discipline members of the pack who do not behave properly
• You reward members who are the calmest and most patient
• The dog learns to trust that you WILL feed him eventually, if he exhibits good manners
• You decide who is given permission to eat first, second, etc. based on behavior
• You are a calm and patient teacher for your pack

And all of this leads to the ultimate lesson:

YOU ARE THE PACK LEADER

This must always be your goal, in order to maintain the peaceful, happy home you desire.
People who have seen my dogs being fed have often asked how I taught them to wait patiently, eat only when given permission and eat only their own food, without aggression. I'm no Dog Whisperer, but I guess I am a visual learner. I have all the Dog Whisperer DVDs that are out, and have read Cesar Millan's books. Although my dogs all went through advanced training with traditional methods (sit, stay, down, come, off, drop it, take it, etc.), I have found that combining Cesar's energy techniques with the more traditional methods has made for a good blend. Here's how I taught my pack to eat with good manners:

1. The dogs each learned the sit-stay or down-stay command at an early age and have continued to practice this every day at mealtimes.
2. Adding the Leave It command, when your dog is in a Sit-Stay or Down-Stay is as easy as placing your hand over the food bowl (or other item) for a second or two (at first) and then removing your hand when the dog is holding his stay. This is his reward--food for Stay.
3. At each meal this is practiced until you can gradually build up to 10 seconds, and then the hand is no longer needed over the bowl. Maintain a confident stance facing your dog, engaging his eye contact with yours while he performs Leave it. Build up his time gradually.
4. Any change in body language or a move toward the food is your signal to move forward toward the dog reminding him firmly, yet calmly, to Leave It.
5. Soon, with continued practice, including with treats or favorite toys periodically throughout the day, your dog will not need much more than loose supervision. I once forgot about Tanner waiting permission to eat and found him nearly a half hour later, sitting in a puddle of drool. Poor fella! He is soooo good at Leave It!
6. If you have one well-trained dog and bring a puppy or other new dog into the house, try training him within view of the other dog. It is always good to have an example to follow, as long as the example is a good one. Oliver quickly picked up good meal time manners from his older house mates, merely by following their lead.

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Permission Granted

Bringing your pack together to eat:

1. When each of your dogs has a solid understanding of the skills above, you can bring 2 of the calmest, most patient ones together to eat near one another.
2. This is again a time for heightened supervision, as their mere presence may change the dynamics.
3. Your confident stance facing the dogs will help them to understand that you continue to lead this exercise and they are expected to perform as usual. Keep up any hand signals that you normally use, to give further input on the expected behavior.
4. Be sure to reward your dogs for good performance with a simple word of praise or a pat on the head. Keep the praise calm to continue this energy throughout the next step of getting everyone outside for their post-meal "business."

I'll leave you on that note with a simple commercial for Friday's post. I'll be tackling boredom busters for dogs who spend several hours a day in their crates, or simply at home alone. Join me for a few ideas, and feel free to comment with yours. I would love to hear from you at the comment link below, or just email me at LetsAdoptaDogPark@gmail.com.

And one final note. Today, at Organic Journey Online, I am presenting a great idea, borrowed from Carmen at Agility class. She makes recycled tug toys with her old clothes, and they are wonderful. With Carmen's permission, I made some and wrote about them there. Feel free to follow the link and check it out. Free Tug Toys!

Guidelines for First Time Dog Park Visits

Dog Park Visits are Great Times to

Play with "The Gang"

Dog Parks have become all the rage throughout the United States. Particularly for those of us in urban or suburban areas where there are precious few places a dog can get a good romp off-leash. It's good for them to be able to socialize with other dogs and run unencumbered by restraints--fences, walls, leashes; they need to be free to run occasionally.

The reality is that this freedom comes with a risk and a price. Even dog parks have fences, placed to protect their visitors from running into the street or disappearing altogether. The difference is that the park is a larger area for running, and the opportunity to socialize with other dogs is available. This is a necessary component to their lifestyle, as dogs in the wild are historically social pack animals.

When I arrive at the dog park, my dogs now know where we are going, well before we pull into the parking lot. Their excitement is palpable, with their heavier breathing, whining to get out of the car, and growing activity level in the back of the car. When I get out, I wait until everyone is calmly waiting in the car. Sometimes it takes a few minutes, but it is safer this way and they get the message: "You don't get to go to the park until you calm down."

When I open the door to leash everyone up, I have 3 eager faces looking out. The calmest dog is leashed and allowed to hop out first. That's his reward for controlling his excitement. And so it goes with the other two.

Tanner and Me at the West Orange Dog Park 

Walking to the gate should be an exercise of discipline. If it takes 30 minutes to get to the gate, they will remember that next time and manage their excitement better. When your dog(s) shows signs of excitement, have him sit until he calms down. Then proceed. Using this procedure will soon teach your pup that he doesn't get to go inside until he can exhibit proper manners. You should be leading him inside, not the other way around. If Fido is pulling you, you're letting him be in charge. That attitude will eventually trickle into everything else that involves your dog. You don't want that. So make sure he knows you are in charge.



At the gate, have your dog sit and calm himself, before entering. If your dog has never been to a dog park, keep the leash on for a while and gauge his readiness for friendly behavior. Your dog should be willing to allow others to sniff his backside. This is a friendly hello, which should be accepted with no concern. Likewise, your dog should be interested in exchanging hellos with others. One of my dog park acquaintances calls this "exchanging business cards"! Another calls it "shaking hands". You get the point. It is the good doggie manners way to greet and be greeted.

When Fido is accepting hellos and giving them without any signs of anxiety, fear or agression, you can consider removing the leash. Stay close and watch his body language. It is your job to stop any escalation of aggressive or dominant behavior BEFORE it gets out of hand. This means correcting your dog, and in more significant cases, can mean your dog needs to submit. Down, lay, stay...until you give permission. Permission is granted when your dog's body language and behavior is completely relaxed and he is paying no attention to other dogs around him. Then he is ready to get up and practice some more. Some dogs need lots of this practice before they are ready to shake hands with others nicely.

Most dogs have few, if any, problems with social interaction of this basic sort. It is usually the anxious, fearful, or shy dogs that may exhibit trouble with socialization. Often leadership is lacking and this brings on the problems. 

A few tips on what NOT to bring to a dog park, for all you first timers:

1. Never bring food into the dog park. You could create problems, as other dogs will smell it on you.
2. Bring in toys at your own risk. Some dogs may steal your toy, others may destroy it.
3. Keep in mind that the dog park is also for socialization. Encourage this activity and use the toys for those days when the park is meagerly populated.
4. Poop bags and water for your dog may be needed if you are not visiting a park that provides these. It is essential that you keep an eye on your pups and pick up after them immediately. This will keep everyone cleaner and healthier.
5. Leave your stilletos at home. Dress for the occasion. Many dogs like to jump up and put their paws on visitors, so plan on getting a few paw print hellos.
6. Handbags, beverages and other things you need to hold or keep track of may become problematic. If you set them down, they're likely to get picked up by a playful pup who sees them as fair game.

Finally, What do you take to the dog park with you? Not much, but there are a few aids that can make the first trip go smoother.

• If your dog is large and you need help getting him in and out of the car, a ramp is helpful.
• Boots couldn't hurt, as you might step in something a bit messy, if you don't keep an eye out. My favorite dog park boots are on sale at Amazon right now, so I've included them in the link below. They clean up really easy and are amazingly comfortable.
• If you have more than one dog, a leash coupler makes things a bit easier. You'll only have one handle to deal with for every two dogs. I have 3 dogs, so I'm speaking from experience.
• If you go at a time when there aren't likely to be many visitors, like daytime during the week, you might want to bring a ball, Frisbee or "chucker" ( a ball throwing tool for those of us who throw like girls).
• Make sure there is a towel in the car for cleaning up dirty paws.
• If you're going to an off-leash area that doesn't have dog park amenities like poop bags and water fountains, then consider this in your preparation.

I hope these tips will help you venture into the world of dog park fun. It is good for your dog and you'll enjoy the people you meet there. I'll be back soon with info on how to locate a dog park near you.

Exercising Fido: Good for Both of You

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Tanner Loves to Catch the Frisbee

We've all read at least one article on losing weight that recommends getting a dog. The author invariably tells you that when you have the responsibility for walking a dog, you will get your exercise also. Good advice, as long as you take it. I just feel for the poor dog who was adopted and then left in the house all day every day to hardly see the light of day.

So, what are your options, if walking turns out to be the activity you just cannot get yourself to do? Try some of these:

• Running...not likely, if you can't get yourself out for the walk.
• Biking--faster and more exercise for you and the dog, in less time.
• Roller blading: While this is Cesar Milan's first choice, it isn't the safest choice for many of us. His roller blades are more stable, but keep in mind your abilities and the size of your dog, before venturing out to try this.
• The dog park: This is my dogs' favorite outdoor activity. There is nothing like off-leash running to get a dog well-exercised. Tanner is particularly fond of the socialization and the running. Did I mention that Tanner likes to run? Tanner will run for an hour and a half, until I tell him time's up. He knows he better come when I call, and he does. But, what about you? You can get exercise at the dog park too: (1) Walk the perimeter, keeping your eyes on your dog for that inevitable plop!, (2) Grab a few bags or a shovel and use your time to pick up missed doggie-piles and trash. I call this Adopt a Dog Park. Check out the link for more info.
• Agility classes provide great discipline along with a dose of exercise. It is a wonderful way to bond with your dog, and you'll probably get more exercise than he does, once you get past the beginner level.
• Swimming is Tanner's favorite thing to "beg" for. Although he doesn't truly beg, he stands by the French doors and gives me a "please can I go swimming" look that can melt me sometimes. He doesn't seem to tire of it, even though Xena and Oliver will be in and out in a flash. Tanner will swim for an hour and then collapse on the porch for a nice nap in the sun--every day, year round. There are some exceptions. When we had our 7 nights of freezing temperatures recently, I didn't let him swim much. Poor guy. He gazed at the pool as if it were his long lost love and he couldn't give her a hug and kiss.
• The treadmill is a great tool, but you need to learn how to do this the right way. I recommend checking out one of Cesar Milan's books for instruction.
• Playing Fetch or Frisbee for 20-30 minutes is a great workout for both of you. You can also turn this into a good training session for the fetch and drop it commands. There have been more than a few instances when I was glad Tanner knows drop it. Have you ever tried to pry open the jaws of a 57 pound dog? It's nearly impossible.

There are a number of devices out there that are aids for biking with your dog. I just hold the leash and go, but some people find that their dogs pull a bit too much. You can check out the possibilities for some of these gadgets that attach to the frame of your bike, and with a stretchy attachment, won't pull you over.

Whatever you do to exercise your dog, remember who is in charge (YOU!) and make sure you are both having fun. Finally, keep in mind that you start the exercise, and YOU decide when to end it. No discussions on his with Fido! You're the boss.

The Importance of Exercising Your Dog--Mentally and Physically

The Pack Leader at Work

At the risk of sounding like the Dog Whisperer, I will repeat his mantra: Exercise, Discipline, Affection--in this order. He is so right.

My first experience at beginning to understand this came with Xena, when she was little miss hyperactive at dog training classes. When the instructor decided to allow "recess" or playtime in the beginning of class, she calmed right down after a vigorous play, and was ready to focus and learn. Wow! Such a revelation, and that was before we even knew about Cesar Milan.

Now, exercise before discipline is my own rule. Before obedience classes with Tanner and Oliver, I always found time, somehow, to fit in a long walk, bike ride, dog park run or a good fetch game in the pool. Once or twice, during long downpours, I actually took my long walk inside of Petsmart. Thank goodness they allowed that.

With obedience classes behind us, we are now venturing into a new challenge: Agility training. Running an agility course definitely involves both exercise and discipline; however, in my humble opinion, it is more discipline than exercise. Tanner can easily outrun me, and when he does he finds himself with confusion as to where he is supposed to go next. At first, he would just pick his favorite and have a blast, but now I see him beginning to stay with me and keep his attention on me more. That is the goal, so I guess we are making progress in discipline.

I do have to work at it, though. Each day that we have class, I take Tanner to a doggie play date. He runs for hours with a group of fun dog friends, and comes home good and worn out. Then we go to Agility class. Without that play date, Tanner would be a hyperactive nutcase. Well, maybe that is a bit harsh. Just hyperactive.

In my next few posts, I'll write a little about some of various ways I assure these pups get their exercise. I'd love to hear about your creative methods also. Feel free to COMMENT at the link below. Have a great weekend, and don't forget to walk the dog.

Happy Valentines Day from My Dogs

© photo copyright Carrie Boyko

Happy Valentines Day

from Tanner, Xena, and Oliver

Check in on Monday for information on how you can get your dog's picture on this blog. Tanner, Xena, and Oliver will be glad to share their spot and we would love to have you visit often. I'm getting the backstage stuff going right now and soon will be posting away, just as I do on my other blog, Organic Journey Online. Check out my Wednesday posts, called Woofing Wednesday, for more pictures of my dogs in action. They love to show off!

P.S. How did I get them all 3 to pose so nicely in their Valentine bandannas (yeah, I know it's hard to tell they are Valentine bandannas)? It only took one take. Well, what can I say....I'm a Dog Whisperer. LOL!