Rooney, my 11 month old German Shepherd mix, loves doing his new trick, waving. He's getting to the point where he'll just sit down and wave at ya! It's so cute :)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Happy Easter
Happy Easter from Scamp, Rooney, and me! We did something a little special this year, as you can see in the picture, they were super well behaved "bunnies." Anyways, we hope everyone and their four-legged friends has had a great day so far! :)
Thursday, April 21, 2011
The Truth Doesn't Lie
The following blog I have based purely on my personal opinions and experiences. I am not trying to make anyone believe or disbelieve what I'm saying.
"How do you know what a dog is thinking?" I've been asked this a few times, mainly by people who think I know absolutely nothing about my favorite animal...canis lupus familiaris, otherwise known as, the domestic dog.
With technology now days, it's pretty hard not to see on dog shows on television, YouTube, or get an email from your buddy saying, "Hey, check this out!" But I'm pretty sure their are people out there thinking, "How do I know this is real? How can that dog tell that guy is angry? Or that lady is scared? There's probably a trainer off camera telling the dog how to react." Or the, "Can my dog really react to paranormal activity in my house? Is that why she's always growling at the closet? Or is it just the new house, and she needs to get use to it?"
Once again based on my own personal opinions, I believe dogs can sense energy levels. Based on an experience I had not to long ago; I was walking both my dogs, Scamp and Rooney, and a neighbor's dog down the street came charging my dogs and I, barking. I just kept on walking, I was calm the whole time. I could tell he wasn't coming towards us to attacks us, it was more of an alert bark. Since I was calm, my dogs stayed calm. And we just kept walking on; the dog followed us for a little ways, barking, then went off a different direction. Only then did I turn around and look back.
So you see, he could tell I wasn't a threat. But if I had shown fear, my dogs would have reacted, then the other dog would have reacted. It's a ripple effect.
Everyone out there has critics, haters, enemies, what ever you want to call them, we have them. I'm not going to say that they are the only people, but they are a minority of the people that make us stronger. Because we want to show them that we know what we're doing, so therefore we push ourselves to be our best at what our "thing" is. Whether it be dog training, art, writing, sports, whatever. With out them, we wouldn't have anyone to show up. Because lets face it, if someone tells you everything you do is amazing, great, fantastic, how will you know if it really is?
The reason I say this is because my father is my critic. He's all the time telling me, I'm not old enough to know anything about dogs. He tells me, "I've had dogs way longer than you, I know more." Yes, true, he has had dogs longer than I have, but with the advance in technology I'm able to study up on dogs. I can buy books, watch TV shows and training videos, and read internet articles on new studies and methods. I'm not saying I'm better by anymeans, just more up to date.
He's the kind of person that doesn't believe in energy levels in a dog, he feels a dog will get over fear or excitement. Now, I am the person who does believe in energy levels. I know you can't "mask" your true feelings to a dog. If you're truly angry, but act happy, a dog will sense the anger. In example, my father isn't the cheery kind of person, he's mainly grumpy and dominant, per say. And whenever he approaches my puppy, Rooney, he runs into his doghouse and hides. Rooney can sense he's not calm or relaxed, therefore he doesn't want to be around my father. Rooney is painting a picture through his body language. His head will be low, ears back, tail low with a slight wag, and eyes darting back and forth. All of this is because of the energy that is being projected to him, dominance.
And I'll tell my father, "He's scared, you don't pet a scared dog, that only makes it worse." But he won't listen to me, tells me I'm wrong, he's right, end of story. But when I enter the kennel, calm and relaxed, Rooney comes out of his house tail wagging, running around, rolling on the ground.
So that right there makes me stronger, makes me love dogs more, and makes me want to show the world what I know and can do. Like I said at the begining, this was not made to change opinions on whether or not dogs can sense changes in energy levels. But I'm hoping it opened some new views on the subject...
"How do you know what a dog is thinking?" I've been asked this a few times, mainly by people who think I know absolutely nothing about my favorite animal...canis lupus familiaris, otherwise known as, the domestic dog.
With technology now days, it's pretty hard not to see on dog shows on television, YouTube, or get an email from your buddy saying, "Hey, check this out!" But I'm pretty sure their are people out there thinking, "How do I know this is real? How can that dog tell that guy is angry? Or that lady is scared? There's probably a trainer off camera telling the dog how to react." Or the, "Can my dog really react to paranormal activity in my house? Is that why she's always growling at the closet? Or is it just the new house, and she needs to get use to it?"
Once again based on my own personal opinions, I believe dogs can sense energy levels. Based on an experience I had not to long ago; I was walking both my dogs, Scamp and Rooney, and a neighbor's dog down the street came charging my dogs and I, barking. I just kept on walking, I was calm the whole time. I could tell he wasn't coming towards us to attacks us, it was more of an alert bark. Since I was calm, my dogs stayed calm. And we just kept walking on; the dog followed us for a little ways, barking, then went off a different direction. Only then did I turn around and look back.
So you see, he could tell I wasn't a threat. But if I had shown fear, my dogs would have reacted, then the other dog would have reacted. It's a ripple effect.
Everyone out there has critics, haters, enemies, what ever you want to call them, we have them. I'm not going to say that they are the only people, but they are a minority of the people that make us stronger. Because we want to show them that we know what we're doing, so therefore we push ourselves to be our best at what our "thing" is. Whether it be dog training, art, writing, sports, whatever. With out them, we wouldn't have anyone to show up. Because lets face it, if someone tells you everything you do is amazing, great, fantastic, how will you know if it really is?
The reason I say this is because my father is my critic. He's all the time telling me, I'm not old enough to know anything about dogs. He tells me, "I've had dogs way longer than you, I know more." Yes, true, he has had dogs longer than I have, but with the advance in technology I'm able to study up on dogs. I can buy books, watch TV shows and training videos, and read internet articles on new studies and methods. I'm not saying I'm better by anymeans, just more up to date.
He's the kind of person that doesn't believe in energy levels in a dog, he feels a dog will get over fear or excitement. Now, I am the person who does believe in energy levels. I know you can't "mask" your true feelings to a dog. If you're truly angry, but act happy, a dog will sense the anger. In example, my father isn't the cheery kind of person, he's mainly grumpy and dominant, per say. And whenever he approaches my puppy, Rooney, he runs into his doghouse and hides. Rooney can sense he's not calm or relaxed, therefore he doesn't want to be around my father. Rooney is painting a picture through his body language. His head will be low, ears back, tail low with a slight wag, and eyes darting back and forth. All of this is because of the energy that is being projected to him, dominance.
And I'll tell my father, "He's scared, you don't pet a scared dog, that only makes it worse." But he won't listen to me, tells me I'm wrong, he's right, end of story. But when I enter the kennel, calm and relaxed, Rooney comes out of his house tail wagging, running around, rolling on the ground.
So that right there makes me stronger, makes me love dogs more, and makes me want to show the world what I know and can do. Like I said at the begining, this was not made to change opinions on whether or not dogs can sense changes in energy levels. But I'm hoping it opened some new views on the subject...
Monday, April 18, 2011
Kennel upgrade
For the past couple of days I wanted to put the tarp/cover back on my dog's kennel, especially since it's getting warmer. But the fence size is the average 4 feet height, and for the past 7 years I've had the tarp laying flat across. And it's very uncommfertable to stand hunched over for long periods of time under it.So I had the idea to raise it, to a peak. I've seen kennels like that before, so I wanted to do that to mine. Well, the only thing I really had to use were poles used to hold up the net for the trampoline. We haven't had a net on the trampoline in a few years, and the poles didn't have any use, so I decide to use those.
So now my kennel has a nice peak in the middle. Standing tallest at 6 feet and slopes down to the back at the fence height of 4 feet. It covers half the size of the kennel (kennel size 10 x 20) and the tree in the back takes care of the rest for shade. It might not be the prettiest thing to some people, but hey, it does it's job: gives the dogs shade and allows me to stand up straight. 
 | ||
| 10x20 Kennel, concrete blocks cover 10x5 of front |
Friday, March 25, 2011
What more can you ask for?
If you don't know already I'm a huge dog person and I love Coca-Cola stuff too. And the other day I decided, "Why not combined the two together?" So I did. Believe it or not, it was really hard to get the picture I wanted. Because I had to keep Rooney concentrated on me and nothing else, AND I had to have my brother take the picture at the right angle.Now Rooney, being a puppy, got distracted....by everything. But I was finally able to get him to sit, in one place, and not move a muscle until a few pictures were taken.
Once we were done taking the pictures, of cousre, Rooney just sat there. In that one spot. Wouldn't even move for food. Guess he wants to be a model. I mean, who knows, he might just be the next poster pup for Coke... ;)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Outdoor vs. Indoor Dog Owners
Now we all know someone, live next door to someone, or we are someone who has a dog. I mean lets face the facts, dogs and humans have been together for thousands of years, and it's not changing anytime soon.
I'm making this blog from an obsevation stand piont, not saying anyone is wrong or right.
With that said; do you have a friend, neighbor, or someone who has a dog that they keep in the backyard or house? I've notice there are many people in my neighborhood who keep their four-legged friends outside in the backyard. I'm not gonna lie, my dogs [Scamp and Rooney] stay outside too. But my neighbors don't tend to walk their dogs. Now a good percent of the people who live here are elderly, and some of them just can't take a Chow mix on a walk the way they could a Chihuahua. And some of the neighbors have health problems too. Now the others, here, are families. For example, there's this one family, a few years back they got a puppy. They would take their new puppy on walks all the time; now that the dog has lost it's cute puppy stage and it stays in the backyard, getting walks every six months or so.
Then there are the house dog people I know. I know people who have dogs that only come out on a leash, never get to roam freely outside. Yes, I do understand that fencing is not allowed in some neighborhoods, some find electic fencing inhumane, others can't afford to have a fence put up, or when living in an apartment you don't even have a yard! But personally, once again this is my opinion, most people have computers, smart phones, iPads, whatever, so they can Google local dog parks, or even ask their friends who have fenced properties if they can bring their pooch next time they visit.
So yeah, that's just something that I notice with many different people. However, I do want to point out, that running around the backyard or going on a poop walk is not enough exrcise for any dog. Hour long walks daily (with your pup by your side) are easy on you and the dog.
(PS: Whenever your dog is pulling you and you're pulling back, A - you're both working against each other. And B - the walk feels longer than it really is. Trust me, I know.)
I'm making this blog from an obsevation stand piont, not saying anyone is wrong or right.
With that said; do you have a friend, neighbor, or someone who has a dog that they keep in the backyard or house? I've notice there are many people in my neighborhood who keep their four-legged friends outside in the backyard. I'm not gonna lie, my dogs [Scamp and Rooney] stay outside too. But my neighbors don't tend to walk their dogs. Now a good percent of the people who live here are elderly, and some of them just can't take a Chow mix on a walk the way they could a Chihuahua. And some of the neighbors have health problems too. Now the others, here, are families. For example, there's this one family, a few years back they got a puppy. They would take their new puppy on walks all the time; now that the dog has lost it's cute puppy stage and it stays in the backyard, getting walks every six months or so.
Then there are the house dog people I know. I know people who have dogs that only come out on a leash, never get to roam freely outside. Yes, I do understand that fencing is not allowed in some neighborhoods, some find electic fencing inhumane, others can't afford to have a fence put up, or when living in an apartment you don't even have a yard! But personally, once again this is my opinion, most people have computers, smart phones, iPads, whatever, so they can Google local dog parks, or even ask their friends who have fenced properties if they can bring their pooch next time they visit.
So yeah, that's just something that I notice with many different people. However, I do want to point out, that running around the backyard or going on a poop walk is not enough exrcise for any dog. Hour long walks daily (with your pup by your side) are easy on you and the dog.
(PS: Whenever your dog is pulling you and you're pulling back, A - you're both working against each other. And B - the walk feels longer than it really is. Trust me, I know.)
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Another sad story
Well, I guess I should have been expecting it...but I still didn't want to. The other day my neighbors had their dog put down.
Why? Because she was "aggressive" and, supposedly, had some kind of brain problem. True or not, I don't know. But I can tell you, for the most part, this dog wasn't aggressive. At least, not around me. Now yes, she did get in fights with the other dog they had, BUT the owners, knowing she was aggressive towards other female dogs, brought the second dog home anyway.
They had this dog for eleven-ish years or so. And to just waste her like that? Unreal.
That aggression they were experiencing could have been fixed if they just took the dog on walks (which it hardly ever got) and showed her who the boss was. For example, if she ever gave a low growl and showed her teeth to the other dog, instead of screaming at the top of their lungs at the dog, they could have snapped her out of it. Screaming just caused all the fights they had.
This dog was clearly dominant over the other dog they had. The owners never saw the small signs, just the fights. A few years back, I was with their dogs and the older dog had her ears forward, tail up, body stiff and higher than the other dog. Her eyes were locked in on the dog. I told the owner, "This is gonna cause a fight." and told them it would be best to remove her. Did they listen? No. Next thing you know the dogs broke out into a fight.
If they just knew how to control her, provided her the proper excercise and discipline she needed, and looked for the small signs of dominance, they would still have this dog.
This is the reason I want to help my friends with dominant dogs. Because I don't want to see them give their dog away, lose it to animal control, or worse, have it put down. I know I would want help if I ever needed it...
Why? Because she was "aggressive" and, supposedly, had some kind of brain problem. True or not, I don't know. But I can tell you, for the most part, this dog wasn't aggressive. At least, not around me. Now yes, she did get in fights with the other dog they had, BUT the owners, knowing she was aggressive towards other female dogs, brought the second dog home anyway.
They had this dog for eleven-ish years or so. And to just waste her like that? Unreal.
That aggression they were experiencing could have been fixed if they just took the dog on walks (which it hardly ever got) and showed her who the boss was. For example, if she ever gave a low growl and showed her teeth to the other dog, instead of screaming at the top of their lungs at the dog, they could have snapped her out of it. Screaming just caused all the fights they had.
This dog was clearly dominant over the other dog they had. The owners never saw the small signs, just the fights. A few years back, I was with their dogs and the older dog had her ears forward, tail up, body stiff and higher than the other dog. Her eyes were locked in on the dog. I told the owner, "This is gonna cause a fight." and told them it would be best to remove her. Did they listen? No. Next thing you know the dogs broke out into a fight.
If they just knew how to control her, provided her the proper excercise and discipline she needed, and looked for the small signs of dominance, they would still have this dog.
This is the reason I want to help my friends with dominant dogs. Because I don't want to see them give their dog away, lose it to animal control, or worse, have it put down. I know I would want help if I ever needed it...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)