Tag Archives: dogs

So Your Pittie Got Knocked Up….

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Heck, if your “any type” b*tch got knocked up….. 

 

It’s particularly bad for “Pit” or “Block-head” types for a wide variety of reasons.  Dog fighting, BSL, etc. etc. etc. 

 

Oh, dear, folks here are going to upset about this one.  The pregnant Pit. I can see them with pitchforks,  gathering wood for fires and setting up the stake in the courtyard…..they’re brushing off the pillory….plucking chickens, heating up the tar….

 

If I had my cat’s “oops pregnancy” to do over again, I’d spay-abort.  But she was due in 10 days. (So the vet at the APL said. Not.)  Granted, those kittens, (now well into their teens) had good homes and good lives. But I was a total Nazi when it came to homes for them.  A She-wolf!

 

Are you ready to take back any one of those puppies at any time during its life, which can be up to 16-18 years from now?  If not, don’t do it. 

 

Do you have totally checked and vetted-out homes for at least 2 times as many puppies as she will have?  Pittie type litters average between 4-10.  If you don’t have all those people lined up with large deposits, no “yeah-buts we’ll take one”…..Don’t do it.  

 

Many people from Rescue and Pit advocacy groups will be very upset about this mistake in dog management. And rightly so. I come from a slightly different angle here, having been in purebred dogs for over 20 years. And no, I’ve never bred a litter or stood my intact dogs at stud. Yes, admittedly you were completely at fault for not being vigilant  A solid tie can happen way quicker than you’d every imagine. (And if you don’t know what that term means….yikes!)  

 

Yes, she should be spayed and your boy should be neutered.  There is no question about that. We’re not talking show dogs here. And many people who show their dogs never breed them. And if neither parent has been health tested for hips, elbows, eyes (PRA, DLL), heart, Van Wildebraun’s etc. then spay-abort. Does one or both parents have skin issues, severe allergies? These are all genetically carried problems that can impinge on the quality of those pups’ lives. If you’ve never heard of any of this stuff or if you have NO idea what I’m talking about, you should spay-abort. 

 

However….if you are really going to go through with this, I hope like hell you have a clean, quiet, warm house, whelping box, old blankets, towels, tons of newspapers a SUPER great vet, a good ER vet clinic and some super-experienced dog people versed in whelping to help you.  If you’re going to continue forward with this….please, I beg you: DO IT RIGHT. Find someone reputable who breeds medium to large-sized purebred dogs on a very limited basis. Not a backyard breeder or an “Oops Breeder”. Not your friend down that street whose b*tch got knocked up last year. (Whelping Toy Breeds is a whole ‘nother story). You need their advice and wisdom.

 

Momma dog should be going to the vet every week for her pre-natal check up and probably be ultra-sounded as well. If she has a breech pup, it could kill her; she may need a Cesarean. That’s at least $1,000 there.  If you’re lucky.

 

Some vets will do very early spay/neuters on the puppies. I do beg you, SPEND THE MONEY. please do not let the puppies go without having them fixed, micro-chipped and fully vetted.  Parvo kills! 

 

People who responsibly breed dogs (and don’t ya’all dare flame me with your “all breeders are scum” vigilante spew) spend a ton of money and never get it back. She’s a Pittie type, so you are going to have to be uber-vigilant about who gets those puppies. I’d do serious background checks, check ALL their references, do a pre-home visit and have a contract that says at any time WITHOUT NOTICE you can visit where that dog lives. Are you ready to be their guardian and advocate for the rest of their lives?

 

You must be prepared to do the “Smart Puppy Program” with these little ones. If you have no idea what I’m taking about, spay-abort. You can Google that and see if you’re up to the task. It will make them much better dogs as they grow. 

 

The average responsible breeder of ANY breed, will spend $250-$1,000+ PER puppy on pre-natal, post natal care and puppy care. That’s not including testing done on both parents. 

 

It is a full time job 24/7 for 8-10 weeks.  By the way, don’t let anybody b.s. you….letting puppies go at any age before then (like 5-6 weeks) is totally irresponsible, in my opinion. I know I know, shelters do it.  I do not approve. Even though Mom has weaned them she still has a lot to teach them.  DON’T DO IT.  Once puppies are mobile, they really become a full-time job with full-time, never-ending clean up.  Puppies are noisy, adorable, messy, destructive, little heart-stealing monsters.

 

Since this was an unplanned pregnancy, I would SERIOUSLY consider a spay-abort even at this late stage.  She’ll be OK. Remember! She and the pups are YOUR responsibility for the REST OF THEIR LIVES. Even when they go to new homes, THEY ARE YOURS ALWAYS. You should be there always for your puppy owners, revel in their accomplishments and cry with their owners when they go to The Bridge, old and grey and loved to the very end.

 

That being said…puppy breath is pretty special stuff, no denying that. But most people are woefully unprepared for the responsibility, time and expense to do it RIGHT. You must be totally committed to doing it right for the rest of their lives. 

 

 

A Note To Northeast Ohio Rescue Groups

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And, no it’s not a warm and fuzzy note…..

I think ALL the shelters in Northeast Ohio, all the dog clubs (training and showing, purebred and performance), trainers, educators and all the rescues, every stinkin’ one of you, need to get together and figure out ways to help animals.

Here’s what needs to happen:

We all need to educate people esp., kids in the schools, about proper pet ownership, responsibility, compassion, bite prevention and breed education. We need to educate them as to where to get a dog or cat when the time is right.  A shelter, a legitimate rescue, a responsible breeder.  We need to educate people to think with their heads, to research it all out.  We need to shock the hell out of 4th graders through middle school age kids, which is when their compassion level seems to sink and their need to fit into a group and be “cool” rises. That’s where dog fighters find their recruits and it goes all across all demographics.

We need to find ways, funds, donations to provide more low cost or no cost spay/neuters and med clinics etc.This is what (IMO) is what is needed.  Look to organizations like C.H.A.I.N.E.D. in Detroit and “Break The Chain” in New York who help individuals with proper fencing, housing, educating and low cost or no cost “speutering.”  Northeast Ohio, as of this writing, has no organization doing their kind of work.  Everyone seems to sit in their nice, middle-class homes and bitch about all those ghetto or redneck types with their dogs on 20 pound 6 foot long chains. They post pictures and post their outrage on Facebook. It IS outrageous and disheartening!  People on social media are honestly sick to death of seeing it.  They are sick of seeing dead dogs. Come up with a solution that’s not a knee-jerk one.  “Get rid of all the breeders!” Yeah, that one won’t work.

Put on your brave face, your big girl/boy pants and see how you can help, person to person.  Half of you won’t even go into inner city schools and do educational programs and answer questions.  Any kind of crazy question and I’ve gotten a lot of them.

There is a desperate need for fosters.  So why are people turned down all the time?  Good people.  Why aren’t there local seminars sponsored by many rescue groups with a vet and a good trainer about how to foster successfully! Especially helping potential fosters figure out the logistics of adding another dog into their own home. Crates?  Temporary fencing?  Introduction training?  Why isn’t that in place and offered often?

And since we’re on a bit of a rant….I’m really sick and tired of all the damn pit bull rescues fighting and spatting with each other like a bunch of wet cats in a barrel.  As if the poor “breed” (if you can call it that since it’s a mix of bully types) doesn’t have about a thousand strikes against it, you all are beating your swords against your shields  “Our way or NO Way!”. Get off the damn bitch-mobile and start working together.  Get the best of your best out into the public eye and show a uniform front.

There are WAY too many women involved in rescue in NE Ohio —- there is too much bitchy estrogen running around. We need to find a way to get more men involved.  Grill some steaks and hire a stripper…I don’t care. Whatever it takes.  Hit up athletes, business types, men, men, men…we need men!  We need more male spokesmen. Men love animals too and their way of helping may surprise you! Having a guy tell another guy why he needs to be man and get Buster’s nuts removed seems to work better!

I’m sick to death of rescue people bashing folks in purebred dogs, flinging all that “You’re BAD, evil, You are the sole contributing factor to the over-population problem!!” with their one litter a year.  First of all most the hash-flingers don’t even know anyone seriously involved with purebred dogs. I’ve asked. Many rescue folks have never taken their dog to any kind of class, hired a trainer or tried to compete in any venue with your mixed breed!  The snobbery of He’s Just My Pet.  Not that this isn’t the most noble gift dogs give us but they are capable of much more.

You WANT people in purebred dogs on your “side.”  Are you crazy not to get to know them?  Even court them a bit?  No, they will not support your total breeding moratorium and for wiser reasons than the average rescuer could possibly comprehend and it has NOTHING to do with The Almighty Dollar. Here’s a new flash, kids.  The serious “hobby” breeder is not what is causing your pet over-population problem. He or she is the least offensive and will be the first to be punished by your breeding moratorium.  They plan a breeding better than you probably planned who were you going to marry and have kids with!

They have connections most rescues only dream about it.  Don’t think for one nano-second they don’t know about the pet over-population problem and aren’t distressed and sickened by it.  Throughout the country, most of the time, someone who shows purebred dogs is one the first on site of any given puppy mill or hoarder bust.  No one, and I mean, NO ONE is more incensed about Puppy Mills or Hoarding than the folks in Purebred Dogs. I’ve noticed in the rescue community a ton of sun-burnt nostrils on self-righteous up-turned noses when the subject of someone who “shows dogs” comes up. Since so many of you know very little about that world of showing, obedience, agility, or other dog sports or haven’t been immersed in it as a trainer, handler, assistant, judge, groomer you are bashing a group of animal lovers en masse without a great deal of personal knowledge.

One must only look at the Puppy Mill Case of over a hundred Rottweilers in Texas to understand what Rottie fans, owners, breeders did to pitch in and really help these dogs in need. Click here for an article about it.

Seriously, if the bottom line is that dream of a no-kill shelter or the banishment of Puppy Mills do not count out people in the Fancy of Showing Dogs.  Your little rescue is not on national TV being watched by millions of people worldwide but Westminister Kennel Club is!  You honestly think that the WKC winner couldn’t use his time on “Good Morning America” to tell folks to spay and neuter  to get a dog from a shelter, or a breed rescue.

People who show dogs are not the enemy!  They would never condone a puppy mill or a hoarder. So get off your high horse and stop slamming them.  They love dogs too!

Was It Just A Year Ago?

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Sad Elke in October 2011

It was a day much like today, weather wise. Mid-40s, maybe a bit warmer, gloomy and damp but not raining.

I was going to meet a cattledog pup today.  An older pup actually. IF Elke would be OK with him, maybe we’d adopt him.  I owe a debt of gratitude to Tisha A. for helping Elke as well.

She’d lost her anchor, Jesse Ann and she had actually gone into a bit of a depression.  She slept a lot and moped. As much as I loved so many of the dogs I’d worked with, my heart (and even the SU’s heart too) were a little void. Jesse and Winger had gone to wait for us at the Rainbow Bridge. 2011 was a tough year.

A friend of mine, Becky L. had posted on FB!

“Check this out, Mia!” and there was a picture of an older cattledog puppy.  My heart fluttered a bit, and I contacted the foster mom whom I knew from the Humane Society: Jen Mauger, the owner and trainer of L’Chaim Canine.

Megan with her soon-to-be doggie nephew

I was worried because Elke isn’t the most dog friendly dog and I haven’t helped to improve that, really. But Jen assured me that we’d test her out with Jen’s uber-friendly collie, Shay. (This wonderful, silly dog is, by the way, my Hero….Love that dog!)  Elke did too.

But first, Jen wanted me to meet The Dog Called Bandit.  I might not click with him.  I agreed. By the way….why folks name dogs with no facial mask “Bandit” is beyond me but that was his intake name. He was saved by Humane Officer Shannon at the Humane Society of Greater Akron.  She is another one of my Heroines!

Jen brought the bundle of cowpup into our yard, he seemed very friendly and curious.  I picked him up and he still had puppy breath, just the last vestiges of it, and soft puppy fur.  I held him to me heart, nuzzled my nose into his neck and I started tearing up. I love Elke (our Schmooby-Do) with all my heart but I’m a sucker for a blue cattledog. After Elke’s successful meet and play with Shay, we introduced the pup into the mix!  They got along just fine.  Thank you, Shay!  We brought the little guy inside the house and all was still well!

The Spousal Unit meetsthe pup for the first time.

Of course, I’m a sucker and my Spousal Unit knew it.  He met him the next Sunday at one of L’Chaim’s classes!

Yep, we’re sold on a little blue dog.

Marty immediately christened him “Artie.”

“Why Artie?”

“He looks like an Artie!” And WAREHOUSE 13 is the SU’s favorite show!

He became officially ours, adoption paperwork and all, on Dec. 22nd, 2011.

He was a HUGE trial in many ways.  House-training, chewing, mouthing, biting, etc. etc.  Etc. I cursed my friend Becky many-a-day! I spent hours often wondering what the hell I was thinking…..

He started growing……and Elke started to prick up, get some energy and life back,  play, growl, get after her new little brother and lose weight!

His first Christmas and New Year’s came and went.  Puppy classes! Still working on the house training thing…..

And growing…..despite his often less than enthused big sister…..

And his color was still very light….but he was growing….This is Art on Jan. 1, 2012

And he was growing…..and getting tons of nicknames!

Art, Artie, Artie Blue, and most often BLOOBY!

March 11, 2012 (below)

…and growing…and his color was beginning to darken……and he learned to LOVE to play Fetch!  After first he had NO idea he was supposed to bring it (the ball, Frisbee, toy) BACK!

…and growing…..late May (below)!  Finally he’s “gotten” the House Training thing and can really hold it!

July 2012 (below)

Dog Classes and fun!  He learned what “water” was all about, thanks to his new doggie friends, Oreo and McKinley! (July 2012)

July 2012 saw some BIG milestones…..he is now taller than his big sister…..

AND…..

Blooby get his Canine Good Citizen!

Fall time comes and we need to decide on a birthday for him…..

The SU picks Sept. 21, 2011 as his birth date.

“Why?”

“He told me that’s when he was born.”

“OK then….” (First birthday picture)

Fall 2012, he’s beginning to mature….little by little.  We still need to work on NOT reacting to seeing kitties and meowing, being gentle around little, little kids…although he’s good with older kids….but he loves to meet other dogs and play!

He has his first overnight with Auntie Gayle, Uncle Ray and Oreo and McKinley…..

He has fun swimming and socializing at the dog park, going for off-leash walks and learning new things!

Picture with Santa at the Humane Society, where he gets to see people who saved him!

And now it’s a year.  A whole year has gone by…..

We love you, you crazy, nutty, smart-as-a-whip Blooby Boy! And we thank all the people (and dogs) who brought you into our lives…..Tisha A., Becky L. Jen M. Kristen B. and Officer Shannon….

(However, when he’s bad, we still blame Becky — it’s all her fault.)

Artie Blue 

Truhart’s Find The Artifact, CGC

Kelly Ripa and Pit Bulls

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To Kelly Ripa and all fans of her show.

(And yes, I posted this on the LIVE Facebook page but no doubt it’ll get yanked.)

Ms. Ripa: You should not make blanket comments about pit bulls (or even that type of dog). It shows a blatant ignorance and an assumption on your part of biased, quasi-education.

Should we say the same thing about blondes, your appearance or your intelligence, you’d be rather angry, hurt, disappointed, wouldn’t you? Perhaps not, as by your comments, it’s highly doubtful as to whether you possess any of the virtues of basic intellect but rather an alarmist, punt-kick attitude towards dog related things of which you could not possibly have any reasonable knowledge.

In other words, Ms. Ripa, you be needin’ some educatin’!

A Note To Animal Activists & Advocates

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In recent days, we’ve seen the investigation of the Ohio SPCA into yet another Puppy Mill run by (no surprises) by the Amish. People who care about animals are lauding this as a good thing and it is.  Again, it has thrust the ugly reality of Puppy Mills into the limelight where it belongs.

 

“Another horrible Puppy Mill!!  We need to get those breeders and shut them down!” cry the animals activists and advocates!

All right, enough. You are all pissing me off.

Stop calling them BREEDERS. 

I’m going to publicly bitch-slap the next person who calls these heathens “breeders.”

“Breeding is bad!  Breeders are bad!  Breeders need to regulated!  We need to stop Breeders! There are X millions of animals in shelter because of Breeders!”

By using the term “Breeder”, you are being small-minded, defamatory, insulting and plain ignorant. How dare you? Those people are not BREEDERS and every one of you needs to stop using that term.  Call it what it is: Milling. They are Milling (or if you can’t seem to use that term….) at the very least it’s “farming” companion animals.  Not appealing but there it is.

I’ll even coin a new term so you can stop using the word Breeder and eradicate it from your Advocacy Vocabulary.

It is Animal Profiteering. Say it with me, folks.

Animal Profiteering!

Very good! It’s a lot more harsh sounding than “breeding”, isn’t it?

Whether it’s Mr. Yoder the puppy miller or Joe Schlabottnik down this street who’s looking for a quick buck on his Rottweiler bitch, it’s Profiteering. I’ll lump them with Mrs. Whitebread who thinks Junior should witness “the miracle of birth.” It’s not about raising animals for consumption, which technically is Animal Husbandry.

It’s all about the pay-off, plain and simple.  It’s Profiteering.

Animal Activists think the answer to the appalling over-population of companion animals in shelters all across the country is to Ban Breeding. Great idea in THEORY. We’ve seen how well that worked with Gun Control and the War On Drugs. It’s an extremist knee-jerk reaction that punishes legitimate, caring individuals who truly care about animals, especially pet animals.

Before you go off on your high horse and vilify and abolish all Breeders, think about what you are saying and who exactly you are defaming. Most the Activists and Advocates that I know have no clue.  Many of them are animals lovers, period.  All they can see is that “too many litters of animals, even more animals, the suffering of animal due to overpopulation” is a Bad Thing.  It is. There are too many unwanted animals dying every day. Lest you forget, I too, am an Animal Advocate.

Breeders are not the Activists’ or Advocates’ problem.

Read that again.

Breeders are not the Activists’ or Advocates’ problem. They aren’t even close to being the cause. I don’t care how far down you filter that. “Well, we wouldn’t have this problem if Hanice Smith hadn’t decided to breed a Bull Terrier litter in 1953.” Or 2003. They are not the Enemy! Ninety-nine percent of the time, they are your allies.  The other one percent are neutral.

A Breeder plans their first (or next) litter more carefully than most people plan a pregnancy.  Humans seem to reproduce without careful thought. The Breeder considers health, type, temperament, quality, cost, vet care, the timing and expense of pre- and post-natal care, raising of the babies and whether or not they have more than enough good owners lined up for each and every little one who will be born.  The owner of the stud or female are very fussy about the potential mate. They pick potential owners with the thorough thought that this is a long term relationship. Animal to Owner and Breeder to Owner.  Many breeders turn down potential Owners because they don’t want to associate with that person for the next 10-20 years. They are with the new owner throughout that puppy/kitten/foal’s lifetime and grieve for each one of their “grandchildren” through ill-health, old age and death. I still hear from the husband of a dog I owned and his wife (the Breeder) is deceased.

Breeders have an overwhelming tendency to police themselves and each other.  I have been advised who to NOT get a dog from on several occasions.

Breeders (often silently) help unwanted animals by fostering, housing, volunteering, transporting, educating and training animals in need. They donate their money, time, expertise and needed items.  They advocate for humane treatment and lobby against breed banning. For example, a Canadian dog Breeder I know campaigns heavily against horse slaughter. More Breeders than I care to mention have raised mix-breed or orphaned babies, giving them to the same love, care and socialization as they would the litter they planned for years.  Breeders often foster and rehabilitate rescued animals, an area of animal advocacy crying daily for more help.

Messers Yoder, Schlabottnik and Mrs. Whitebread don’t give two shits about any of that.

So get off your morally high horse and stop calling these profiteers Breeders.  They’re not and if you knew just one Breeder of cats, dogs, ferrets, horses (whatever) you would never, ever lump them with Millers or Profiteers.

 

By the way, I have never (to date) bred a litter.  Nor do I have any intention to do so, as of this date. The only litter I have ever had was a stray cat who showed up pregnant and starving on my doorstep.  Should I ever decide to breed a litter, I will give it far more thought than some human deciding to hatch, believe me.

 

 

 

 

 

To Prong Or Not To Prong: The Debate Continues

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I think this is a good discussion. 

Here’s my take.
 
First of all, for me personally, I have really high standards and expectations for myself and my dogs. All my dogs must eventually get their CGCs. I have only had one (my GP, Dri) who didn’t get his. I don’t want to be the stupid neighbor with THAT dog. It’s very important to me because I’m the caretaker for these dogs. Kids go to school. They get graduation certificates. Shouldn’t my dogs?
 
My goal for my cattledog boy, Artie Blue, CGC, is some kind of Obedience, Rally, Agility or Schutzhund title. For sweet Elke it was getting her CGC (done!) and have her qualify as an Asst. Dog or Therapy Dog. Most of the folks on many of the lists I’m on have Pibbles. Being a terrier-type they have a different head set from herding breeds, which is what I’ve mostly dealt with.  So, I can’t speak as to Pibbles, as much as I’ve worked with them in the shelter and have tons of friends who have them. I love them dearly too and advocate strongly on their behalf! But I “get” herding dogs better.
 
Here’s one my stories as pertains to prong collars: 
In 1993 I had a girl cattledog, Hart-Marie (in the picture) that I started in classes at 6 months old.  She wore a soft buckle collar, and I was armed with tons of treats…..all the trainer would allow.  (Harnesses were for Guide and Service dogs or if you did pulling or crating.) She was pretty good EXCEPT with pulling horribly on the leash while walking.  Her one huge drawback: she was horrible with small, fuzzy, white dogs.
 
For the leash pulling, we did tons of luring and tons of turns using the treats with The Happy Voice, that kind of thing. It worked pretty well, although I was dizzy from all the turns and switchbacks. It did take a while and lot of commitment on my part. The trainer’s deal was: free classes for us for Hart’s lifetime BUT she had to get her CD (Companion Dog AKC obedience title).
 
The fuzzy dog thing? Much harder because Hart meant business; she would have killed that dog (a Bichon). We did lot of desensitizing with focus and treats etc, that kind of thing, but she still wanted to kill that dog. I am not exaggerating.  Cattledogs are very quick; they have to be fast and agile or they’ll get killed by a cow’s kick square in the head.
 
When Hart was a year old, my trainer (who was also Hart’s breeder) gave me a prong, first putting in on my arm and showing me exactly how it worked and how to use it correctly. She also showed me how it needed to be fitted correctly etc. She stressed it was a Training TOOL. Not to be worn causally or all the time, like a regular buckle collar. Ever. We did probably 3 weeks of classes with a double leash technique, never, ever touching the leash with the prong. One class, with no warning (cattledogs can be like that, most of them are extremely subtle, even for a fully sighted person) she went after that Bichon. One pop, we changed directions with lots of praise and treats for a nice heel. I think she wore that collar for maybe 3 months and never again. She didn’t dread it, she never turned away, she’d happily wag her tail and wiggle her butt when she saw it. But she also had great work ethic. I maybe corrected her 5-10 times, mostly to refine a heel, quite honestly.  I will tell you that her three years of year-round classes and out of class work were 90% positives and 10% aversives or corrections.  
 
Hollering at your dog to shut up or using a sound (Acckk! is ours) is considered by many All Positive trainers to be an aversive. Come on, Seriously? Who doesn’t holler at your dog or kid once in a while.  
 
“Oh, Johnny, darling, don’t go near the street.  You might get hurt by a car,” works great on a three (or eight) year old. Not. You go get Johnny and if he continues to do that, you just might holler at him or give him a time-out.  (Parenting a kid is for another blog!)  
 
If Elke insists (sneaks) on getting on the sofa with a bone or toy, she knows that’s a no-no, I’m going to say, firmly and yes, loudly, “Get off the sofa with the bone!” point to the dog bed and praise her when she eats the bone on it.  The rules haven’t changed in 4 years, Elke, and they pertain to all dogs!
 
Back to Hart the prong collar. 
She had her CGC, TDI (when it meant something more) and her CD, was working towards her CDX and Agility titles when my circumstances stopped her training. She could walk through a herd of little, fuzzy, white, yappy dogs on a buckle collar with tons of treats and no worries.  Interestingly enough, she had a best bud who was a Chi-weenie and was fine with smallblack fuzzy dogs, like Schipperkes.  
 
I’ve had 2 other cattledogs I used prongs on once in a blue moon, Jesse Ann, my wonderful pig-head, could get very fixated and wouldn’t respond to click/treats at all. Again, maybe 3 uses of the prong and never needed again for 10.5 years.  Wingie JoJo, my lovable dope was scared of regular clickers (we used a cricket clicker) but he sure loved his food!!  I had to fde food fast and use praise and pets on him!
E-Collars? I am not a fan. I think it’s the lazy way to train.  I do get why hunters use the warning-beeper ones.  “Hey, Buster, you’re off track,” is really hard to holler when your German Shorthaired Pointer is 1,000 yards away.  More and more, I’m hearing, hunters are using whistle training. I don’t how I feel about e-fencing.
 
My current ACD, Artie, is soft and he won’t need a prong. He “gets” what he’s supposed to do, what I’m asking. He’s smart and willing. He’s still reactive and stupid and mouthy but I can get him back. My Elke is very soft and needs a whole other approach to help her get over herself. I confess to use a prong on her for excessive pulling the leash when she a couple of years y0unger and in retrospect it was NOT the “right” thing to do for her.
 
Now times and techniques have changed in those 19 years! I use the clicker too — all the time! I usually use a tongue click when I’m working on leash though. Too much stuff to deal with and my dogs “get” the tongue click! Artie and Elke don’t need the prong. Three other ACDs I’ve had needed the use of a prong maybe a few times each in their 10+ years on this earth in my care.
 
My German Pinscher (a terrier) really didn’t need it. In retrospect it proved to be counter-productive. He was started as a wee pup on a clicker and treats and he is the reason why I can be somewhat ambivalent about clicker training. He was extremely hard to train as he was not food or toy motivated. And trust me, we tried everything, even a real (dead) squirrel tail!  He is also the reason I am loath to get another terrier-type dog much as I love the clownishness of terriers and the love-a-bull mugs of the Big Heads.
 
Point: I think each dog is an individual and may learn in different ways than another dog. It is a process and you may need other tools. Some rock it on a harness, others are idiots on a harness. A tool is a tool. It’s how you use it or even IF you use it at all. Honestly, it’s not for most dogs and definitely NOT for most owners or trainers.  However, I’ll stand by my decision to use the prong collar on Hart-Marie all those years ago.  As a training tool, it helped her “get” that a certain behavior was unacceptable. It may have saved two dogs’ lives: a small, fluffy, white dog’s and hers.  Had she killed a dog, I would have felt obligated to put her to sleep. She died at age 16 1/4 years, nicely trained, deeply loved and tenderly cared for all her life. 
 
Just my opinion.

I Can’t Make This Stuff UP: PETA Again

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PETA again.  “No one belongs in a crate.” Crate training is cruel?  I hope they’re kidding.  They’re not? Damn.
 Shame on anyone who supports these cretins (and that’s an insult to cretins….)
Rock formations have more brain capacity than PETA and its stalwart cohorts.
(Insert a whole string of incredible, mind-cringing swear words.)
I cannot make this stuff up.  Whoever the brilliant mind was that came up with this anti-ad is a genius.  I salute you!
Come-a-my-house and I open up a can of whoopass on you, you neanderthalic, mindless, reactionary PETA jerk-offs! I’ll bet you drink the lemonade too.
Go to your Happy Place now, Mia…..
Happy Place, Happy Place (rocking back and forth…)

On Cross-Posting Animals In Need

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©2012 Mia Knerly-Hess
So you want to set up a Cross-posting site? A Facebook Page? OK, great, super. Here are a few ideas. This goes for Cat People too.
It’s just not enough to click SHARE. Any idiot with a left finger and a mouse can do that.
First of all, please, do not bombard people with Cross-Posts. There are a few individuals on Facebook in particular who cross-post well over 100-200 animals a day. Your mind goes into shut-down mode; a sense of helplessness ensues. “How can I possible help? There are just too many!”
 
There ARE too many. That’s the tragic truth. It’s overwhelming. Just one more tragic story, one more sad face. It can be mind-numbing. That’s the fastest way to get un-Friended on Facebook. That and political posts. 🙂 I have un-Friended a few people because of that. It’s heart-wrenching, depressing and in the end, believe it or not, ineffective.
 
If you’re going to cross-post or set up a site for it, it needs to have different ways that people could help.
First and foremost: People have got to have current and complete info on that animal. It’s my biggest bitch! I wouldn’t post anything that doesn’t have enough info on it unless I know it’s a purebred Schipperke and I’m hollering out to Schipperke folks on the web. It’s a huge waste of time. People want to help, they need info in order to do that. See my Blog on this. I think it would help a ton more dogs if they did better marketing. Plus you, as Site/FB -page Master. need to follow up on each listing and pull it off if the dog is out or dead.
 
There is a HUGE need for a clearing house, a networking site for Rescues and Fosters, locally in your community, as well as county-wide, area-wide, state-wide, country-wide and internationally as well. If you’re in America, there may be a rescue in Canada that may be able to help. Same as in Germany finding a rescue in Italy. Someone needs to shell out some serious bucks and pay a few people to set that up and keep in current. It shouldn’t be completely manned by volunteers. It is too vast and the skills involved need money. Even setting up a local Rescue Networking site is a huge undertaking.
Big Note: A lot of these shelters won’t let John Q Public take that dog/cat out, even in a High Kill joint or off the Urgent list…..and rightly so. They’re figuring whoever is getting that (usually) unfixed dog out is just going to use them for bad things. Having a Rescue/Foster clearing house or network that is kept current is essential for getting animals out and safe in foster.
IF you’re going to set up a Cross-Posting site or FB page you need this:
“Here are other ways people can help”
 
*MONEY.
Donating money or items.
Having a fund raiser. Kids can do that!
If there is a Chip-in to get Rusty out of the shelter, and you’ve got the bread, cough it up.
*Find out what your rescue/shelter needs other than money and see if there is a way to get it. Flea markets, garage and estate sales, etc. etc.
*Figure out what’s going on at the Local shelter and who might be the “go-to” person. Do a little sleuthing and see who can help or who’s got info. Be respectful and kind. Contrary to popular beliefs, not everyone who works at a High Kill is the anti-Christ and gets a Heinrich Himmler hard-on while gassing or heart-sticking kittens. If there is some monster working there, the devil you know…. You could then work politically to get that person fired but have a few replacements in mind. The Monster has connections? Find somebody with better connections. There is always a way, there is always someone higher up the food chain with a bigger hammer.
 
* If you’ve really got some moxie, some balls, a suit and some bread; get on the Board of the Local. Find out who is on the Board too. Those are people you need to watch. That’s where the money is and policy is made. Board Members of many organizations are usually very clueless about day to day workings of any place, notoriously non-profits or publicly run or funded shelters. They have their own agenda for being on that Board and it’s usually NOT because they’re all mushy about animals. It’s either monetary, political or resume driven. Or all of the above.
*Contacting or networking with rescue orgs. Life is truly all about networking.
*Connections, connections, connections. Use them but don’t abuse them. Have something to give back.
*Are you a professional photographer or a budding Ansel Adams? Donate your services, take pictures or video of animals in need. Snag a friend or staff member for a few minutes to help. One good photo or video can make a huge difference for that one animal.
*Offers of transport. Often the rescue and foster combo is possible, but the ride isn’t. If you are driving for a legit 501(c)3 tax exempt means you can write off stuff like the gas on your taxes. (Or you used to be able to do it; it may have changed.)
*Checking references on behalf of a rescue. Or about a rescue!
* Conducting a home check. (I’ve done this. Very interesting and rewarding.)
* If you are a certified CPDT dog trainer or Animal Behaviorist, perhaps donating your services once a month for a training class or seminar for the general pubic or people who adoptedanimals you know about. Animal “misbehavior” is usually tops on the list as to why Fluffy gets dumped at the Local. There’s a whole lot of crazy information out there but people don’t know where or how to get HELP! This will actually help your business in the long and often in the short run.
*Encouraging your vet to have a one day spay-neuter clinic. Or Shots. Or microchips. Or all of the above. Or find someone or a business willing to write this off on their taxes as a charitable donation. Offer to make food for the staff and docs etc.
*Hooking up with local rescues and local kennel kennel clubs. In the Rescue World especially, find out who’s in and who ain’t. Find out who says they’re a rescue and who actually has the 501 status. I can say I’m a Jack-Rabbit Rescue and, being a great schmoozer, I could convince you I am. Trust me, I’m NOT!
*Never Trust Everything YOU Read On The Internet. It is not infallible. It is not the Gospel of anything. Use the phone for starters.
*Ask an org (rescue, shelter) “How can I help?” It may be something as simple-stupid as making (vegan) chocolate chip cookies. (There is a way, but I don’t like them myself.)
* Go into your community and see if there is someone you could help with adequate food, shelter etc. for their dog. Get that dog off its chain or off the back porch. That’s outreach and it’s huge. We only save one dog at a time, really. Look at this one. Break The Chain on Long Island, NY and C.H.A.I.N.E.D. In the Detroit, MI area are some others that come to mind.
*Educate people on the benefits of spay/neuter. Educate people about dog fighting, cruelty, not getting bitten, dog body language, etc. etc. All ages need educating! At about 4th grade, kids are starting to get very jaded.
*Offer to underwrite a Neuter-Scooter for your area.
*Help a foster parent. You can’t do it yourself but you can help! Know someone who is fostering? They are the true ANGELS in this whole mess! Go over and give them a hand. Watch the dog go potty or keep an eye on him while the Foster Parent has a cup of Joe or goes to the movies. Throw cookies at the dog, help him learn something. I swear, it takes a village to raise or help or rehab a dog or cat. You could be that dog’s honorary Auntie or Uncle!
*Men. We Need Men. Ask Men.
Women, God bless us, we sit around and get sad, get mad, write, blog, yack on FB about the horror, the injustice of it all. We form groups and/or rescues and a lot of the time bad-mouth all the other groups/rescues out there.
Men, God bless them, give them a plan or a task and let them implement it. A poor person with no money and a dog on a six-foot chain needs a dog house and a fence? A two-story Craftsman-style dog condo, insulated with gable roofing and windows made out of scrap from a lumber yard I got for free? I’m ON IT! Let them build it; they will come.
Get more men involved especially in the area of a spay/neuter. We ladies can cluck about how male dogs make babies but some big old Bubba could give a sh*t because, what do we know? We don’t have balls. Get your husband/boyfriend/son/dad/brother to help with this one.
The old argument: “You’re taking all his fun away?” Trust me, if Gonzo wants to screw, some still do. I had a neutered male that still did. He’s not making babies; that is the bottom line. They are not YOUR balls, dude. It’s not personal. If a man in your life is some kick-ass, tough as nails, Marine-type, recruit that dude!!
Just remember, Bubba: he’s still your lovable dog and if you’re that hung up about what’s hung under, have those fake balls put on your dog. He’s still going to lick his….uh….Richard. He can always do that. A pocket-rocket happens with male dogs, with or without ’em!
*Organize, brave soul that you are, a dinner-party or picnic or cocktail party and invite every stinkin’ rescue org in your area. Have food. And invite your local AKC, UKC, kennel club, training club reps. Don’t be a lazy person, use emails, phone calls and a written invite. Get to know who does what. Oh, it could get ugly putting all those different groups and factions into the stew, but if you’re a sick broad like me, you might get a vicarious thrill. More importantly, you’d get the players straight in your head. As an added extra bonus some of the combatants may get their heads out of their butts and say, “Uh, well, shoot, scooter, we all want to help dogs. Maybe if we work together a bit more?”
*THERE IS NOTHING LIKE FACE TO FACE TIME! We rely TOO much on the internet and Facebook.
*Rescue People, I know you get inundated with calls and emails, pleas, begging, tears but you got into Rescue for a reason. Be accessible. Don’t blow people off like you’re a Force 10 hurricane. Keep tracks of the idiots, of course. “We just cannot take one more dog into our rescue,” (but maybe provide options) is a rather lengthy way of saying, “No!” but it’s still no. “No” is totally OK. You do what you can with what you got.
If you can’t do it anymore, whether it’s your heart, your health, your life circumstances — no reasonable person is going to flail you —- after a while. They’ll find a new b*tch to burn at the stake eventually. Get out with grace and dignity.
Now I know I’ve mentioning getting in touch with and on board with your local kennel club. A lot of rescue folks and people involved with shelters are saying, “Eeeeeuuu!” I say, get over yourself. A ton of people involved in shelters and rescue are very resentful towards purebred dog owners, handlers and breeders, citing them as The Problem. “They breed dogs. There are too many dogs dying in shelters, being abused,” etc. Trust me, people involved in showing dogs in any arena know exactly (and far better than most of you do) how many dogs (and cats) are dying every day.
 
Here’s a clue by four for you? Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, they are NOT the problem! Read that again. Most people involved in showing and/or breeding dogs (The Fancy, agility, herding, obedience, etc. etc.) are deeply committed to breed rescue. The problem is not purebred dog folks for the most part, it’s your idiot neighbor next door. Or worse. To force a mandatory moratorium on dog breeding will not stop it. That is an airy-faery dream that you need to jettison. It will drive the “good folks” out of dogs and it will drive the bad people (dog fighting, puppy mills etc.) further underground and the fallout in terms of animal cruelty and horrific deaths will astound you.
 
While purebred rescue is their primary focus (and rightly so), many folks involved in purebred dog stuff have a love of DOGS, period. They are also high on your list of go-to folks to fight against Breed Specific Legislation and Puppy Mills. Purebred dog people with medium to large breeds “get” BSL. You don’t have to preach to that choir; they are (99.9% of them) overwhelming opposed to it. And Small/Toy dog folks immediately “get” puppy mills. Rescue groups, shelters and purebred dog people don’t always communicate and they really should. Is the lady who shows Japanese Chins going to be partial to Chins? Of course. But she might have networks the Average Rescue Person has never even considered!! I’ve know quite a few show folks who have done dog transports as well, on the down-low, quietly helping as they can.
 
Don’t diss the purebred dog community or your local kennel club. Network with them, maybe join up and help out a dog show (of any kind). You’ll actually learn a lot about dogs, learn about dog breeds and types (thus helping with your identification process) and meet some nice folks ofttimes. Yes, there will some snotty people, but, come on, really. Think about it. There are some Seriously first-class, Grade A weirdos in the Rescue community as well.
 
In short, if you are going to cross-post, broaden your horizons to beyond your Facebook Page.
Just my opinion.
©2012 Mia Knerly-Hess

Animals In Need: A Facebook Failure

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Bitch of the Day:
 
I am getting horrifically pissed at seeing completely inadequate “Dogs/cats/horses/animals in need postings.”
 
Contrary to popular belief we are NOT psychics.  Gosh, hate to disillusion you and, oh, guess what —-FB is international.  Which means people are going to read your posts everywhere!  
You want to help —- BE SPECIFIC!!!!!!.  Here is an example.
Picture(s) of animal than say: (for example)
Dog, Urgent.  Can only be released to a Rescue Organization (if that’s the case.).
8 year old medium-sized female  17-19″ tall, a very slim 45 pounds.  (Better than saying she’s scrawny and needs a lot of good meals and has tits hanging down to her knees.)
Since so many pictures are crappy (another bitch of mine), a detailed description please:
 
She is a pit bull mix type dog, not spayed.  Now use some adjectives! She is a stunning dark tiger brindle with white markings on her chest and cute little white toes. Her eyes are a deep brown and her teeth are good but they might benefit from a cleaning and good diet. She’s Vet checked, has kennel cough which is treatable etc. UTD on all shots.  (Whatever medical issues  are needed to know, be honest.)
Here’s another colossal failure with posters.  Where the hell is the dog located?  Some missle base?  On Mars?  Like I really know where in Brooklyn, NY?  Oh, wait…..let me get out my Ouija broad and see if I can find it?
 
Try this instead:
Available at Barks-A-Lot Shelter,
2668 First Street, Ipswich, Ct. 60008
Durham County, Near State route 22 and cross street X.
Open M-F 8-5pm etc.
Phone number: 800-555-1000 email contact: susieQ@ email. net
Passed her SAFER test with all 1s.  (Post any temperament test results or assessments if you’ve got them.)
Volunteers write:  “blah-blah-blah.”  Some kind of personality assessment!
Do not give me that malarky about “we don’t know weight or height.”  The vet or tech who checked in the dog knows the weight or an approximation.  
Height is easy to determine, you can self-measure that dog.  At home, get a yard stick and have a friend  tell you what inch is the bottom of your knee cap, the top of your knee cap, the middle of your shin and the middle of your thigh.  That pretty much takes in most dogs and you’ll have a ballpark figure.  Where do the dog’s withers come on you! Duh.  Don’t need to be a brain surgeon for that!  And if you don’t know what a “wither” is on a dog, google it!
And stop, for god’s sake, saying she’s a Pit Bull.  The likelihood of her being a UKC Registered American Pit Bull Terrier is so slim you’d be more likely to win the mega-millions.  At least give her half a chance by saying she’s a Pit Bull mix.  Or if she’s low and wide, an AmStaff mix. And that would be the truth!

Another Elke Blog

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(With interjections from Artie)
 

The other day Momma Jen from L’Chaim Caninecame over again. We call her Momma Jen because she was the Brat Boy’s foster momma. But my paws get tired of typing all those letters. so I will call her Jen. That’s her name. I love her. I am happy to see her.

You’re a big old suck up. You do the pitiful eye thing, it’s soooooo gross.
Go chew on a bone, BB……
Our Mom wanted Jen to come over because somebody (and it’s not me) has a problem with the cats. Jen helps people with their dogs, she was our teacher for my Special Day. She also has a lot of helpful things to say and things to do about cats. Mom also wanted her to help adjust our new Freedom Harnesses. BB’s is green and mine is “raspberry.”
 
 Whatever.
 
Now, I have to tell you some stuff about Mom and Dad. I love them with all my heart but they’re kind of, oh there’s a big word for it… ambivalent (aren’t your impressed) about clicker training. Mom likes to give us treats and reward us for good stuff, but she not real confidentabout this whole clicker thing. She feels like a klutz. Dad is a dad, he loves us but he wants us to get it fast. Whatever “it” is. And he doesn’t do The Excited Voice like Mom. He’s a guy’s guy.
 
Mom’s been reading books and watching videos on YouTube like Kikopup, whoever she is and asking questions about this clicker stuff, even though I’ve known what a clicker was since I came here so long ago. Mom taught me sit, down, “bang” and how to pick up stuff with a clicker.
 
Hey, I know when I see and hear the clicker I KNOW that we’re going to get treats! I get so excited—
 
Yeah, you’re like STUPID excited~ it’s like your butt’s on fire—
 
Shut up, Brat Boy! You’re such a little turd.
 
(Takes one to know one….)
 
Grrrrumble.
 
 ANY way, where was I? Oh, yes. Clicker stuff. I am ok with the cats but he isn’t.
 
Hey, those damn things MOVE and do weird stuff. I don’t get them. They smell funny, they move funny! I want them to STOP doing what they’re doing. They’re not dogs. I don’t understand them. I can’t read them. Even humans are way easier than those damn things. What the hell da’ya expect?
 
Some decorum would be nice.
 
Mom and Jen talked a lot about the cats and did clicker stuff with the BB. I didn’t like the fact that I didn’t get treats—-
 
Boo-flippin’-hoo! 😛
 
Every day since Jen came here, Mom has been clicking when you—-
 
We, sistah, WE—
 
Ok, I’ll give you that.
 
Anyway, when WE get riled up when WE hear the cats. Mom doesn’t quite get the reasoning behind it but she doesn’t yell at us. she might talk to us but she tries not yell at us. She c/t’s us and throws treats on the floor for us to get. WE do stop after a while.
 
Now Mom got us these fancy-schmancy harness but I don’t want anything to do with mine. I don’t know why….I just don’t like harnesses. But Mom said,
 
“I spent all this money on these fancy-schmancy harnesses….you’ll have to get used to it.”
 
(Actually she said I had to get over myself.)
 
Yeah, really! Get over yourself—-
 
—-Oh, really? And you are exactly HOW about the cats?
 
(Paying intense attention to my bone now…ignoring you….)
 
Yesterday and the day before, she put BB into his harness and played ball with him. She showed me mine and I jumped up on the sofa. NO way!
 
Such a chicken sh—–
 
That will do. So Mom put the BB outside and she put the harness on the floor and got the clicker out. She threw a couple of treats around it and I ate them. Then when I sniffed at the harness, she c/t’ed me. When I touched it with my nose or my paw, she c/t’ed me. Hmmm…maybe it’s not so bad.
 
Ooooh, she picked it up! It’s SCARY—-
 
See what I mean, you are SUCH a little chicken sh—–
 
—-You know what? I’m gonna drag you around by your collar and see how you like it.
 
…..Mom put her hand through the neck part with a treat. I kind of stuck my nose into the loopy part and ate the treat. She was used her Excited Voice, “Yes! Good girl!” I did that a couple of times and then Mom hung the harness up and let me outside.
 
Today, she did the same thing this morning. I was scared at first but I really like those smelly treats she was giving me. They smell like Dad’s summer sausage. First the harness was on the floor and then over her wrist, the treats were in her hand. After a couple of times of me putting my nose inside the loopy part, she said, “All done!” and let me outside.
She put BB’s harness on and we were outside while Mom took pictures of the BB playing ball. So stupid, that whole ball thing. Who wants to chase a stupid ball?
I LIKE Ball!!! It’s fun!!!
Goes to show how stupid you really are.
Then we came in and she took his harness off and put him in his crate with a STUFFED BONE. Why the heck don’t I get that? Oh, wait….Mom has treats! But, she has the harness thing again! But she DOES have treats. Oh, my goD, I don’t know what to do…treats, harness, treats…..I’m so anxious!
She did get me to touch the harness, then put my nose through the loopy thing then she got the horrible loopy thing to rest on my neck! eeeeuuuu, gross-gross–gross!! She gave me lots of treats and used The Excited Voice. She took it off of me, eeeeuuuu, phew, thank goD—-
Gawd, seriously, you are such a pansy—-
—-then she dropped it on the ground again. C/T.
…then she got my nose through the loopy thing…..
….then it was on my neck and I got a whole bunch of treats, tons!
Then she clipped one side of the harness on me, lots of treats and The Excited Voice stuff. then she clipped the other side on and gave me more treats!!!
We all went outside. I still wasn’t sure about that harness-thing on me but she gave me lots of treats even though SOMEBODY kept getting in my way.
Hey, it was food, dude!
Mom took some pictures and kept giving me treats.
So maybe, just maybe it isn’t too bad. The harness thing. Maybe.
So maybe Mom is getting the knack of this clicker thing. Maybe.