Featured Rescue - Jake the Australian Shepherd

Spurred by my post about Australian Shepherd breeders, I would like to post a featured rescue for one. There are currently 3,391 Australian Shepherds looking for homes listed on petfinder. There are many more that are listed elsewhere and are not on petfinder.

Jake is an older dog (7-8 years) who really needs to find the right home. He is reportedly blind due to cataracts in his eyes. This guy just needs someone to take him home, love him and care for him until the end of his days.
Jake is currently located in New Casle, PA.
http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=10499858
Blind dogs can be wonderful additions to a home. Once they get to know an area, they are often just as playful and rambunctious as normal dogs. Building up trust between the handler and the dog is extremely important for these dogs to ensure that they have a full life. The handler should take all steps necessary to ensure that the dog feels safe and secure - which isn't that difficult.
See BlindDogs.net for more information about blind dogs.
Also, I have been working on a follow up posting regarding one of the breeders I mentioned below. Waiting on an email to come in (figured I'd give her a few days to reply) - I will wait until tomorrow to post it.

Training Tools - NILIF

So, what is NILIF and why have I listed it as a Training Tool? Well, because I believe it is something that trainers should use (or at least try) and also that it is just as much a Training Tool as a Clicker (follow up post on this later). With NILIF, you may be using food, toys or attention as your rewards, but they are still tools to be used at your (the trainer's) discretion.


NILIF is an acronym for Nothing In Life Is Free. What does this mean? Well, it means that everything the dog receives, eats, everywhere he goes, etc is earned. Here's the basic break down: (if you want details, go to the link above)


- Every time the dog gets a cookie or a meal, he has earned it
- Every time you touch or pat the dog, he has earned it
- Every time the dog wants to go through a doorway or gets up on a piece of furniture he has earned it
- Every time you play with your dog it is because he has earned it


I have seen time and time again how well this training works with rescue dogs and I've also seen it work well with pets people have had from the puppy age. NILIF is a wonderful base that you can build on with most other training.


So many people I know are looking for ways to help them bond with their dogs. People want to feel closer to their dogs and they want to feel that there is a link between them. NILIF is one of the many great ways to do this.


It can teach the dogs that they are important in your eyes and that you are aware of every little thing that they do. It's like the mom who knows when the kids are getting into trouble even when they are in another room ... how does she know what we were doing?!


Some of what I have mentioned in earlier blog posts is that your dog should want to be with you. How do we accomplish this? Why would the dog want to be with you? You teach the dog that it is a good and rewarding thing to be with you, whether that means that they are rewarded with an item or with praise, you still have to teach them that these things are good and that they come from the handler. Remember - behaviours are learned habits and/or reactions.


NILIF can give you a good base or foundation to build your future training routine on (such as those immediate recalls and the building of desire to be with you). If you have already had your dog for a while, you can still introduce NILIF - your dog can and will learn. Sometimes something as simple as NILIF can give a dog enough of a challenge, stimulation and excitement in its day to prevent a few bad behaviours - it's a win-win situation for both you and your dog!


Why don't you give the NILIF a try and see what it does for your dog and you? Do you already use NILIF? What experiences have you had with it? What is your opinion?

Breeding ... The Good the Bad and the Fugly

The Australian Shepherd has been gaining status as one of the top sports dogs of our time. This breed is known for its versatility and ability to excel at most dog sports that focus on agility and speed. What many people forget is their need to be busy. These dogs require mental and physical stimulation and, being a herding breed, have a lot of prey drive. Some people aren't ready for the special needs of the Australian Shepherd.

The Good


Good #1
Below is what I would classify as a good breeder. Their dogs are all registered, have won ribbons, are well cared for and they don't breed as many puppies as their bitch (or bitches) can pop out! They breed for conformation.


Good #2
Just so you all don't think I am against breeding for specific traits, here is a breeder that I found that breeds for sports - kinringaussies ... a quote from their site is "Active in flyball, agility, obedience, conformation...breeding versatile dogs for great people!!" You will notice that all their dogs are registered, have also won ribbons, competed in shows and are well cared for.

The Bad
Bad #1
Now ... I only have one question ... Why would you breed Australian Shepherd / Border Collie Cross dogs on purpose? Apparantly this breeder thought it was a good mix! There are so many that are bred by an "oops" that breeding this mix on purpose just doesn't make sense!

Bad #2
Next breeder to avoid would be this one - O'Neill Horse Farms. They have many dogs listed as "Some of our breeding stock" ... does that mean you have more breeding dogs not listed?? As far as I can tell from the website, not one of them is registered and not one has done anything exceptional other than have pretty colours.

I have emailed the people to find out if these dogs are registered and asked to see their pedigree (as is recommended on their site). If I hear back from them and there is some info to support their claims then I will retract my opinion on this one.

The FUGLY

FUGLY #1
Ok - so here's some Fuglies from Maddenstables. Check out the pictures of their breeding stock! Do you think they could have at least brushed their dogs before taking the pictures?? There are a few dogs with mud and shavings all over. There is one bitch (Arrie) that looks like she hasn't been brushed in months - there are clumps of hair falling off!! Not to mention one of their studs (Marshall) that has thinning hair in large spots - almost looks mangey!?


Their Horsetopia ads certainly don't show us some nice quality puppies. It says they have champion bloodlines, but there is no mention of the registration numbers.


FUGLY #2
The obvious breeder to avoid? That would be this one! First hint? If the breeder can't afford his own website, then something is wrong. Next hint? The puppy is $150 USD. No papers, no docked (bob) tail.

Featured Rescue - Ginger the Airedale Terrier

Today's rescue is Ginger the Airedale Terrier. She's 4 years old and has lived with children. Ginger was surrendered by her owner due to economic problems. I wonder how many other dogs will meet the same fate?


http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=12106166

So here's my big question to those of you out there who are reading this ... Do you find that keeping your dog is getting more difficult due to the economic issues of our time?

EDIT: There are 215 Airedale Terrier's available for adoption on Petfinder. (10/27/08)

Training Rant - Running Away

Have you ever known a dog that runs away at the first chance it gets? Doesn't come back when called? Bolts out the front door and is off down the street before you even get your shoes on?? Have you ever wondered why?


Did you know that not all dogs do that? It has nothing to do with the dog being a bad dog. So, why does the dog do that? Because something down the road or way off in the distance has rewarded the dog more than the owner.

Boiled down basic idea - if your dog wants to be with you, then it won't run away. That means that you keep the dog entertained, prevent boredom from sinking in, and generally provide it with what it requires mentally, emotionally and physically.

I have heard people say that "all beagles are runners" or that "small dogs run and don't recall". I don't believe this is true. I have had beagles that don't run. I have known small dogs that don't run and do recall. (By "run", I mean run away)

If you make yourself important in your dogs life, then it won't run away. I have taken foster dogs that are 'runners' and they don't run. Why? Because I make myself important and teach them boundaries. We don't have fences on my property. The dogs could all run if they chose. They don't.

Train your dog not to run away and it won't.

Teach your dog that it gets a reward when it recalls and it will come back when you call.

Show your dog that you are important and that they should cherish every moment with you and they will never want to leave your side.

Training Tools - Gentle Leader

Ok, so let's look at the Gentle Leader. This device is often used by people trying to teach their dogs to walk beside them. Honestly, I don't think this device is necessary to use while training your dog.

Usually it is used by people who are so busy trying to get to the destination, they are forgetting about the journey. Here's the thing. Big or Small, you can teach your dog to walk beside you. You don't need a fancy head collar.

I know a lot of people talk about how they have to use it for the big dogs because the dog is "SO" much stronger than they are. Uh ... hello? I'm a pretty small person and I have trained some pretty big, pully, scary dogs. When the dog out-weighs you, you need to figure out a better way to train them that DOESN'T involve physical "persuasion".

The thing is that you spend time teaching them how to walk properly on a leash so that by the time you are ready to walk further, then they know what they are doing. You don't need to take your dog to the park in the first two weeks you own it! You don't need to walk it a million miles in the first month if you are spending lots of time (like 15 - 30 minutes every hour you are home) training him or her. Why? Because if you are spending that much time actively training, then your dog won't be bored, will he?

Did you know that I watch a total of 3 hours of TV per week? I have two shows that I watch (after dark) and THAT'S IT! The rest of the time I am outside with my dogs, working around the farm, training the other animals, or spending quality time with my hubby. If you keep your dog stimulated and teach him that he wants to be with you, then why would he ever try to run away when you're walking him?

One of my mantras that I use regularly is - A Tired Dog is a Good Dog. Well did you know that mental fatigue is more tiring than physical fatigue??

Here's an article about the "Not So Gentle Leader"
http://www3.sympatico.ca/tsuro/_articles/gentle_leader.html

Here's a bit about Gentle Leader causing sores on the nose and hair loss
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Dogs-701/Sores-hair-loss-puggle.htm

A few more on Sores and Hair Loss caused by the Gentle Leader
http://www.labradorforums.co.uk/ftopict-21130.html
http://www.prodoggroomingsupplies.com/dog-forums/showthread.php?t=31794

There are many other articles, stories, and instances of people whose dogs end up with sores on their faces after using the Gentle Leader. The sores can occur for a few reasons but the most common is that the device is not properly fitted to the dog. Sometimes people buy one for their 6 month old pup and the dog grows ... the device stays the same.

When I worked at the vet clinic there were many people who came in with dogs with nose sores from the Gentle Leader. Sometimes we could treat the wounds. Sometimes it was permanent. It was very sad when the owner of a 10 month large breed dog was told that their dog would probably have the bald spots for ever ... some would be grief stricken (not to mention guilt ridden!) ... others would opt to euthanize their dogs. All for the sake of a bit of training ...

Always remember - A Tired Dog is a Good Dog.

Have you used the Gentle Leader? What was your experience with it?