After a long sleep...

We're back to training. Finally.

But, first, a miracle supplement.

No, really.

Ella and the other shelties eat grass like, well, sheep. And, they never throw it up. I mean, Bear will be running along playing, put his head down and grab a mouthful as he is running. Really. And, they never had stinky-bile-sulfur breath, either.

Until the snow and cold killed off all the green grass. Yep, Ella actually has a scab on her nose from rooting around in the crusty snow trying to find some green stuff. To no avail, poor thing.

I tried adding green veggies to their meals: broccoli, spinach, kale, swiss chard (which they love). They liked the veggies, but got a lot more gas (which make sense, since these are rather gassy-causing veggies).

So, I was cleaning out the dog shelf and found that I has purchased The Honest Kitchen's Perfect Form supplement. Two jars, actually. That's a lot of Perfect Form.

It contains fennel, papain, papaya, pumpkin seed, plantain, pectin and slippery elm. And, is developed to "support the normal healthy functioning of your pet's digestive tract." Well, slippery elm has been used for ages as a digestive supplement - settlers crossing the US used to make a tea out of its bark and some of them ate it to survive the winter! The rest of the stuff in there is also used as stomach and digestive support.

When I first tried it, I tried it when Bear was having a great bout of diarrhea, which wasn't my smartest move ever. Note to self: Do not introduce new supplement if dog is ill - duh. So I put it away on the shelf.

I started the dogs on this Sunday night (note: no one was ill when I started this time). Each dog is receiving 1/8 tsp per meal this week. Next week, I will up this to 1/4 tsp.

The results in just three additions? No bad breath, no more gas, Ella's nose is healing up (but, due to her not rooting for grass, rather than the supplement itself). Robbie slept the sleep of the just and didn't toss and turn.

And, even Possum, with her sensitive (and I mean sensitive - if there are any dyes in the food she eats, you will know exactly what colors were in there when she poops!) stomach can tolerate it.

Great stuff. GREAT stuff and you can get it at Planet Dog in Portland.

Frisbee!

Robbie says that Ella has been taking up too much time in this blog and that he is getting a little miffed about it. So, he decided to run so fast that Ella couldn't keep up and he could get a picture all to himself.

He wants to show you his new sheltie-sized frisbee. It is a Puppy Kong Frisbee and it is just the right size for little shelties and just the right softness for tug!

He is actually thinking in the above photo: "If I drop this frisbee, how long before you throw it again?"

Portland Head Light/Fort Williams

I recently had a meeting in Portland and took Ella with me. During my lunch break, she and I stopped at Fort Williams to take in the sites.

Even though the day was gray and the surf was very loud (Ella says: SCARY), we had a nice walk. The Princess LMNOP even deigned to pose so you can see the lighthouse in the background. She is lying by a plaque for a part of Fort Williams. It is a short walk down to the lighthouse.

Dogs are allowed on leash (Ella says to remember to bring your poop bags!). A lot of people were smiling at her and we overheard one lady say to her husband that it must be nice to have a dog that poses!

Agility

Way back in Septemeber, Ella and I went to an agility trial in Bar Harbor to hang out with friends and so Ella could get used tothe sounds of an agility trial.

It was a lot of fun.

Especially since Otis, Ella's Rottie friend, was willing to share his giant marrow bone with her.

Mmmmm. Marrow.

And, no, she wasn't stuck.

Otis is a sweetheart.

Belcroft Ella Minnow Pea, RN

This past weekend, August 28 - 31, 2008, was "The Maine Event" dog show run by the Central Maine Kennel Club and the Midcoast Kennel Club. It was an All Breed Show with Obedience and Rally Trials.

I entered Ella in Rally Novice A for Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

On Thursday, we went to work for an hour before we went to the show. Won't do that again, since Ella was unhappy with being left in the car while I was working. We got to the show site around 11 and then it was pretty much hurry up and wait. I helped where and when Donna needed me to steward and Ella spent time in her new soft sided crate. Unhappily. It was hot and she was hot and we didn't do our Rally run until after 5. And, it was the very first time we had ever shown, so it was stressful for both of us.

Ella placed second on Thursday with a score of 85.

Our biggest problems on Thursday were caused by me. I had ring nerves and held the leash too tight, so we got quite a few points off for that. You can see the tight leash in the photos that I had a friend take (all the photos are from Thursday).

Friday, we did not go into work before we went to the show. I made sure that I had a cooler and water just for Ella's cooling coat, which I soaked overnight. I had a baggie of larger treats that were for when she went into her crate. I also brought a thinner leash to use to make me more aware of where I was holding it. We spent a lot more time walking around the show site and I played with Ella in a quiet corner. She spent most of her day with her cooling coat on and spent a lot of time sleeping in my lap.

Ella placed second with a score of 96 on Friday.

Our biggest problem on Friday was ring nerves. We lost 3 points for "Lack of Briskness" which was caused by me being so nervous that I could not walk faster. Ella performed each station beautifully and tried really hard to reassure me!

Saturday was our day off and we needed it! We were both pooped. And, I got my "Conquering Ring Nerves" book in the mail and was able to read the first couple of chapters.

Sunday had Rally beginning before Obedience, so we got to the site early. It was quite breezy that day and Ella did not like the billowing tent at all, but tolerated it. We didn't spend as much time warming up on Sunday, but I spent a lot of time doing deep Yoga breaths for my nerves. When I did my walk through, I paid less attention to the signs and more to my pace (I needed to walk at a pace that had me take about 6 steps between each sign).

Ella placed third with a 90 on Sunday and got her Rally Novice title.

I am really proud of this little girl!

Ella and I need to proof our runs on breezy days so that she doesn't react quite so much to the tents moving. We also need to do a better warm up routine and run through a couple of the course signs when we do warm up. At this point, it looks like she might be at least a two day show dog - one who does better being on the show site for two days.

We are going to spend the winter practicing the Rally Advanced signs and attending as many shows and matches as we can.

I stink as a handler!

Ella and I joined Donna and some friends at Capitol Park in Augusta yesterday to do a Rally course run through.

We chatted for the first 45 minutes, which was fun, and watched Ella gently correct Stella, a young rambunctious Corgi who wouldn't leave her alone. Ella then came out of the x-pen and we had an enjoyable few minutes watching Stella and Luna, a tiny sheltie, wrestle. Luna pretty much kicked Stella's butt.

Then we set up the course. That was easy.

We did a walk through. That was easy, too.

We watched a couple of others do the course. Piece of cake.

Then it was our turn.

The first real sign was number 30. Halt and Walk Around Dog. I cued Ella to sit with a verbal (sit) and a hand signal. She downed. O-K. Try again. Verbal: sit. Hand signal. She downed.

Well, let's go on to the next sign. Serpentine Weave Once (#24). That was easy.

Next sign was a right turn. Now to Halt, 1, 2, and 3 steps Forward (#25). Cued sit and she downed. Took a step, cued sit and she downed. Hmmmm.

We left the course (so I would not get frustrated). Donna and I spent a few minutes working with Ella and determined that she was paying attention to the hand signal and that I had inadvertently backchained a down from the sit. In other words, Ella and I has been doing so many practice sessions where I would cue her to sit and then immediately cue her to down that she would sit and then down, whether I asked her to or not.

After about 5 minutes of practice with the clicker, we tried the course again. Much better. I would give Ella the verbal cue without the hand signal and she started to do as I asked.

Donna said that the second time we ran the course, we would have Q'd (qualified). There was one sign that we really need to work on more and that is #16: Call front finish left halt. I had to lure Ella the first few times that we practiced. Tonight we will practice with the target stick.

We have a bit of work to do and 10 days to do it in. But mostly, I have to become a better handler, get over my ring nerves and breathe.

Remmie and Chummy

Ella and I drove up to Presque Isle on Saturday to pull Remmie and Chummy from the Central Aroostook Humane Society. They had been brought to the shelter because their human went into the hospital and could no longer care for them.

These pictures are pretty bad!

Remmie, the lighter one above, is at Holly's house. He is 11 and a tired old man.

Chummy is with my crew. He follows the others around happily and wags his tail whenever anyone looks him in the eye - cat, dog or person. He is 9 and has a double hip replacement.

Both guys really need some work - coat wise and weight wise!

PS. It is a 7 hour round trip from my house to Presque Isle.

Possum is here

She is a very sweet girl and most people wouldn't know that she is blind and deaf!

She loves her bully stick!

Bear and Possum.

Tired.

Rally-O Class

Ella and I took a Rally-O class on July 13 in Augusta. It was a hot, sunny, windy day and we had a lot of fun - though we were both pooped afterwards!

I think that Ella and I would have Q'd (qualified) if it had been a real course in a real trial, even though we would have failed one station:

The reason that she would have failed this station is that she pops up from a down-stay when I walk around her.

I liked the spiral stations (there were two on the course) and the fast station where you change your pace from normal to fast and then back to normal. Those are easy! What can be a little nerve wracking is when you get to the change direction type signs and you aren't sure which way to go.

While we were doing on of the spirals, one of the cones blew over, which startled Ella. She recovered nicely with some coaxing from me and even agreed to pose with a bunch!

Possum

New foster dog coming (in a week or two)! Her name is Possum. She is a 5 month old double merle sheltie who is deaf and partially blind.

She looks a lot like Bear!

Book Review: Stress in Dogs

Stress in Dogs - Learn How Dogs Show Stress and What You Can Do To Help
by Martina Scholz & Clarissa von Reinhardt
2006
137 pages
ISBN: 1929242336
Available at Dogwise Books


This short volume very succinctly describes what happens when an organism (humans/dogs) are under stress and how that stress reaction affects the long term health and mind of the organism. The authors spend many pages describing the many symptoms of stress. They then go on to tell 4 cases studies about dogs who were under stress and how the stress affected the dogs, their behavior and their families.

The best part about this book was the section of stress related symptoms and the list of things a dog owner can do to help reduce their dog's overall stress level.

Book Review: The Other End of the Leash

The Other End of the Leash (Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs)
By Patricia McConnell, Ph.D
2002
240 pages
ISBN: 034544678X
Available from Dogwise Books

This book is not a "how to" training book. Or, rather, I should say, it isn't a cues/commands/tricks type training book. Instead, it is a book that seeks to outline the differences and similarities of humans and dogs and how each species communicates though the 5 senses. A reader can gain a deeper understanding of their canine companion and how to better communicate with him/her.

During the course of the book, Dr. McConnell shows how we, as primates, differ from canines and how those differences can cause problems. She also offers ways to help facilitate communication between the species.

My favorite chapter was "Chapter 3: Talking to Each Other." Dr. McConnell reviewed the ways that humans talk to their animals and really offered some great suggestions on how our tone and pace of speaking can have an effect on our dogs. She reviewed fast sounds and what those did to affect behavior and slow long sounds (such as "whoa") and how they aided in slowing down an animal.

Throughout the book, she talks about her own experiences with her own dogs and her student dogs, which really help to illustrate what she is writing about. I have to admit that the stories in the last chapter (Love and Loss) brought tears to my eyes.

I would definitely recommend this for any dog lover's library.

Manners for the Real World Class - Ella

Ella and I just finished an 8 week long class at Green Acres in Bangor. This is an intermediate level clicker training class and we worked on:

Backing up: Ella learned to back up two steps while standing. This one was a bit challenging to train because she had a tendency to sit rather than back up, so I had to watch how I moved towards her. A small movement with me leaning slightly back got her to back up while a larger one with me leaning forward caused her to sit. This is not a behavior that is needed for the Canine Good Citizen test (CGC), but is needed for Rally-O. And, it is a useful one to have on cue, since she could get stuck somewhere where I need to have her back up to get out.

We have more work to do on this one, since I would like for her to back up in a straight line about 20 paces using a verbal and hand cue.

Down: Ella has always been reluctant to lie down, so we worked really hard on this one. She will now stay in a down with me walking 5 paces backwards and will also hold her down for 20 seconds with me standing still. In order to pass the CGC test, she needs to stay in one spot while I walk 20 feet away and then return to her. She then needs to repeat it while I walk 20 feet away and then call her to me. This skill is also used a lot in Rally.

Ella and I will have to practice this skill in a lot more busy areas before we are ready for the test since she does not like to stay when there is a lot going on around her.

Heel/Loose Leash Walking: When we practiced this in class, she would plod alongside me in the heel position with the leash dangling loosely between us. She wasn't very enthusiastic about it, so we have been practicing this with her looking at my face and walking briskly. I changed her from using a regular harness to a show lead and that made a difference, too.

This behavior needs to be put on a verbal and a hand cue.

Paw: Ella is not very foot oriented (i.e., she doesn't usually touch things with her feet). But, I want to be able to teach her foot tricks and in order to do that, she has to learn to touch things with her paw. I started out with touching the back of her paw with my hand, but she would back away or lie down. Touching her paw is aversive for her, so we will work on that issue separately and I needed to find another way to lure or capture this behavior. Holly suggested that I place some treats under a lid and capture the behavior when Ella pawed it. So far, we have done two sessions like this and it is much less aversive for her and she seems to be getting it.

Recall: I have no trouble calling Ella to me in a class situation. What I need to work on is when she is with another one of the group - they tend to not come as quickly as they should.

Stand: This was a fun one to teach, since Ella caught on very quickly. She sits and then, using a hand cue, stands in place. This one is on a hand cue, but Ella touches the hand when it is presented, so we need to change that a little. She also needs to know the verbal cue.

Sit: We did so many puppy pushups (sit, down, stand, down, sit, etc) that she started downing when I asked her to sit. So, we have been working on duration in the sit right now. We are up to about 5 seconds duration and I can take a half step backwards.

This is on a verbal and hand cue.

Sit when Halt: This is an important behavior for Rally. Ella maintains the heel position when we walk and when I stop walking, she immediately sits. I have to work more on this one because she starts to come into the front position to sit, rather than just sit at my side in the heel position.

Touch: We started with Ella touching my hand with her nose and she will now target anything in my hand with the "touch" cue. We have used the target stick to practice heeling, since I can position her exactly where I want her to be using the stick. Ella has this one on a hand and verbal cue.

Working with Your Shy Dog Class

Ella and I took a 3 hour shy dog class on Saturday. It was held at Paw-zn-Around Doggy Day Care in Saco (if you happen to be driving southbound on I-95, it is the big white barn with the huge pawprints on the side) and was taught by Carolyn Ross.

For anyone who knows Ella, she isn't particularly shy for a sheltie. She is aloof from strangers, but not truly shy. Why would I bring her to this class? Well, because she is the perfect dog to take to classes, since she is quiet and calm and I can learn what I need to learn without worrying about how she will react. I wanted to take this class to see if it might be helpful with some of the shy foster dogs I have - especially Grace.

The facility was huge, with plenty of room for everything. The floors were padded with glued down mats, so the dogs had awesome traction. The class was small - only 5 dogs were in attendance. Each of the dogs was there for a different reason - some shut down with fear, some barked and acted scary, others were in the middle. The only common thing amongst us was that everyone really loved their dog and wanted to help him/her become less afraid.

A portion of the class was devoted to talking about how a dog can become more comfortable around the things that make him afraid. Carolyn went over desensitization and counterconditioning (classical conditioning) and compared it to operant conditioning - which is what you use when you teach sit and other obedience. Classical conditioning is one of the best ways to help a shy dog become much more at ease in his/her world. We also discussed each dog's "threshold," which is usually defined by distance from an object.

The remainder of the class was devoted to Tellington TTouch training. The first thing we did was play on the "Playground of Higher Learning." This was a section of the room that has a window screen lying on the floor, some jumps to walk around, a balance beam to walk, a ladder lying down, a boogie board to step on, some hula hoops to walk on and a ramp to walk up. We spent quite a while walking around and seeing what the dogs would do and rewarding them for doing anything.

Ella has definitely gotten braver! She walked over the screen with no problems. She stepped on the wiggly boogie board and walked over it again and again. She even climbed up the ramp (with a line of treats to entice her). I was very pleased with how well she did.

We then went over the TTouch anxiety wrap and how to put it on the dog. There are two versions - a half wrap and a full body wrap. Basically, it is an Ace bandage wrapped around certain parts of the dog. Shelties look really funny with the wrap on! But, Ella is game for anything.

We then learned a few of the basic touches. TTouch isn't massage. You don't press enough to affect the muscle. Instead, it is a light touch that moves the skin. Each touch type has an animal name - raccoon paw, spotted leopard, etc.

There were two that really made an impression on me. The first was when we manipulated the tail - basically, we stroked down the dog's spine and lifted the tail to a neutral position. Not upright (alert) nor tucked (scared). Once I had done this a few times, Ella gave a big body shake and started carrying her tail in that position, rather than really low (she didn't have a tucked tail, but she wasn't really relaxed either). She was also much more "peppy" and less subdued. In fact, when someone entered the facility after than she barked once at them, which is something she doesn't do when she is in a strange place.

The second was when we were using (what I recall as named) the "raccoon paw" on her face and around her ears along with doing long strokes on the ears. She was so relaxed that she was almost asleep. Another person was doing the same touch on the hip area of a really shy dog and she was really relaxed, too.

Carolyn wrapped everything up with a 15 minutes review and question period. She did a great job making sure each person had some one-on-one time, telling her own stories about problem dogs, and answering each person's questions. She took time to work with us on how much pressure we should be using with the TTouch and had just the right amount of energy for the class. I would definitely recommend her as a training instructor.

I was pleasantly surprised with TTouch and am motivated to learn more about it. At first, it might seem strange, since traditional dog training doesn't really deal with touchy-feelly stuff. But, I can easily see how this technique would help a dog and also improve a dog-human relationship at the same time.

All in all, it was worth the minor class fee ($60) and the 4-hour round trip drive! In fact, Ella and I were pooped after the class because we learned and did so much!

Nicholas Dodman Seminar - a review

This past Saturday, March 29, I attended a seminar at Happy Tails in Portland. The speaker was Dr. Nicholas Dodman, the director of the Tufts Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine's Behavior Clinic. The seminar covered aggression in dogs.

First, the facility. There was plenty of parking, plenty of seats, and the food served at lunch was good. The one drawback to the facility was that the heater was very loud, so it made hearing Dr. Dodman difficult at times.

Second, the seminar. The presentation was very professional - slides were on PowerPoint and a large screen was used so that everyone in the room could see. Dr. Dodman was hooked up to a microphone so that everyone could hear. He was a very easy speaker to listen to, repeated questions so that everyone could hear and stayed on topic extremely well (he was very polished).

Dr. Dodman covered owner-directed (dominance) aggression, fear aggression, separation anxiety and OCD behaviors in dogs. Each section was thoroughly covered and he even had example videos of each behavior. Parts of his lecture covered studies that he and others had performed.

A great seminar and worth every penny spent. Happily, happy Tails will be having Jean Donaldson and Ray Coppinger come speak also, plus other noteworthy trainers.

Robbie

Fencing

I live in a rural town on a dirt road and have 6 acres of land. For the past two years, I have installed, by hand, a metal mesh fence for the dogs. And, for the past two years, the snow has drifted in such a way that the dogs are eventually able to push against the fence and scale the darn thing like a ladder.

Well, I am tired of worrying about where the dogs can go and what they might get into if I don't watch them like a hawk every second that they are outside. I don't want them to go to my bad neighbor's house. I don't want them to go to my nice neighbor's house. I don't want them to follow turkey tracks. Or wander into the road, even though I am set back two acres. I don't want to have to worry about all of this.

So, I am going to have to get a real fence. But, what kind should I get? How should I decide what type?

Features I want in a fence:

• Security Type A (Keep dogs in) - I want the fence tall enough and strong enough so that the dogs can not jump or climb it.
• Security Type B (Keep others out) - I want the fence to keep out as much wildlife as possible. I want it to keep out the bad neighbor's annoying dog. I want it to keep out the bad neighbor.
• Appearance - I want the fence to allow me to see my backyard and enjoy the wildlife that might be outside of the fence. In other words, I want to be able to see through it. I want people driving by to be able to see how much I care about my dogs - by installing a fence.

I have decided on a chain link fence. With gates that allow me to get my lawn mower in, but that can be padlocked to prevent any unwanted persons from getting in. While not the most expensive option, it isn't the cheapest, either. And, I will not be able to afford to fence in my entire property. But, when weighing these minor disadvantages with the advantages of having a real fence, I am more than willing to pay the price of the fence!

I could get an electronic fence. You know, the one with the collar that shocks the dog for getting too close to the invisible fencing. But, this won't keep wildlife away from my dogs. It won't keep that little dog next door away from my dogs. It won't keep people away from my dogs. And, if my dogs really start chasing something, it won't keep them on my property, either.

And, an invisble fence collar delivers physical punishment in the form of a shock. That means it causes pain to prevent a dog from doing something. I don't like physical punishment. Especially when I can solve the problem without resorting to causing pain to my dogs. Because a real fence in a much more visual and kind alternative. I can see if there is a problem with a real fence. I don't have to remember to change batteries or have collars on or worry about lightning or other storms damaging or disrupting the fence.

Pat Miller has written an excellent article about the disadvantages of an invisible fence. Ms. Miller is a well respected positive reinforcement dog trainer with years of experience. There is another great one here. I, myself, have seen some of the problems caused by these fences.

I spend a lot of money on food, vet care, grooming, training, collars, and toys for my dogs. Why would I choose a product that could easily fail? I love my dogs enough to get them the real thing.

Lucky's Been Adopted

Lucky was turned over the sheltie rescue in late November 2007. At the time, he looked like this:

He was severely underweight and dehydrated. He had been run over by a car at some previous undetermined time, never taken in for vet care and his hips healed poorly. We didn't know if he could walk at all. But, even though you can't see it in the picture, his eyes were shiny and he hadn't given up.

He spent a week at Holly's vet and a day at a vet specialist's office before he came into foster care at my home. The poor little guy was also Lyme positive, very weak and had liquid poo (a technical term, that).

At first, the only food he would eat was chicken and rice. After a few weeks of this, I started mixing in dry Wellness puppy food. Eventually, he was able to eat, quite happily, Wellness Adult dog food.

Then, he started straining when he tried to poo. And, he didn't seem interested in his food. So, he went to my vet, where he stayed for a few days. He had a blockage. Of poo. See, when his hips had healed, one had healed pressed against where his intestine and colon came together. This caused the opening to be smaller than normal. He became constipated and was only able to pass a small bit of stool at a time. My vet had to perform surgery to remove the stool.

Sadly, there is no affordable surgery that a vet can do that would fix where his hip is. So, in order to prevent this problem from happening again, we humans have to make sure that his stool remains soft. While fiber and other natural methods might be OK, my vet recommended that we keep him on stool softeners. It is just far too easy for Lucky to become blocked again and surgery into the intestines carries its own risks.

After letting him heal from the surgery and figuring out the proper number of stool softeners he would need each day, I contacted Hilary and her family, since she had been very eager to adopt Lucky before he got ill.

What can I say about this family? I just wish I was a dog! They are some of the nicest people I have ever met and their grandson is a very nice young man. We arranged to meet them halfway between their house and mine (they live in another State) and the adoption day went very well. Lucky was kissing their grandson in no time and it was very obvious that this was the perfect home for him.

Lucky is right.

Grace has her own blog

Grace has her own blog now:

www.shysheltiegrace.blogspot.com

Toenails

Grace let me clip three (!) of her nails last night! Of course, she was a bit hesitant and pulled back a little on the third nail, but she did great. And, got lots of treats. We'll do a few more tonight.

She is also getting much better about going out the door. She will now come out of her crate when coaxed and, even though she "slinks" across the room, she will allow me to grab her collar when I need to and is walking much better on a leash. She doesn't bolt away in fear anymore, either. In fact, she is doing so well that I am no longer using a drag line inside the house.

Her crate is her safe spot, though, and she doesn't like to come out of it. But, she has gotten to the point where she will stand in the doorway to her little "cave" and watch me while I prepare a meal or give the other dogs their treats. Of course, she gets treats, too, but she isn't ready to brave the room to get one. So, I walk her treat over to her and she will take it out of my hand, rather than cowering in the back of the crate.

And, because she spends so much time in there, even with the door open, I make sure that she gets plenty of stuffed Kongs and playtime outside. The Kongs keep her mind busy and the playtime outside lets her really stretch her legs. She especially likes to roll in the powdery snow. And, she has begun interacting with Robbie and Ella. She greeted Maggie really well last night, too.

And, since the kitchen is the place where we practice our obedience training, she gets to watch the other dogs go through their cues. Last night, she watched Maggie practicing "down." Every once in awhile, I would toss a treat to Grace, just for paying attention while Maggie was in class.

This doesn't seem like much improvement, but it is. She is getting braver and more confident. Tiny baby steps on the road towards adoption.

Classes

I spend so much time with the foster dogs that my own dogs aren't getting the training they need. They get plenty of attention, but their obedience skills are lacking. Here are the things I want to fix in my own dogs:

Ella steals food as often as she can. She will steal candy from babies! Right out of their mouths. She isn't growling or anything, just stealing. I would like Ella to learn a really good "Leave It" this year.

Maggie has awful recall (come). She takes off any chance she gets. She comes back, but in her own, sweet time. This can be nerve wracking when she does this in the fall, during hunting season. I would like Maggie to have a more reliable recall.

Robbie is afraid of strangers, especially men, and children. I would like Robbie to learn to approach strangers without alarm barking.

Bear is also afraid of strangers. It is much harder to get Bear used to strangers, since he is deaf. However, my goal this year for Bear is to take him more places where we can safely get him used to new people.

Spirit has improved so much since she came to me. But, she really needs more basic training, including sit! So, I would like to teach Spirit how to allow collar grabs from me and how to sit to take treats.

I could probably teach all of this at home. In fact, I know I could teach this. But, setting aside the time to spend with each dog individually is really difficult! I have decided that the best way for me to meet these goals is the sign each of my dogs up for a class:

I have signed Ella up for a level 2 class - we will be working on a longer down, stay, recall and better heeling. And, while we wait for class to start, we will be working on leave it. Ella's class starts April 29.

I have signed Maggie up for a basic obedience class. She already knows many of the cues, but the classroom setting will help get her ready for the level 2 classes, which work on recall much more. Maggie's class starts May 31.

I have planned out when I need to sign Robbie up for his Level 1 class and when to sign Maggie up for the Level 2. If Ella does well during the Level 2 class, then I will sign her up for the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class.

Bear will get to take a class late this fall. In the meantime, I will begin setting up meetings with friends to get Bear used to strangers. I will be doing the same with Spirit.

Bark bark barkety bark

Grace was so excited about dinnertime last night that she started barking! She had her head stuck out of her crate and then pulled back into it, twirled and barked. It was a happy bark. An excited bark.

It also made Robbie start barking. I don't think the others had heard her bark before. I know that I haven't.

Shatzi was debarked on Thursday. After a few months of agonizing over this, asking other sheltie rescues what they would do and having quite a few potential adopters turn her down because of her barking, we decided to make the appointment and have her vocal cords nipped. Now, she sounds like a dog that has been smoking for 30 years - hoarse. And, much quieter.

When she barked for the first time with her new voice, it freaked Robbie out and he started barking at her. But, then again, lots of stuff makes Robbie bark.

She still barks, make no mistake. But, when she goes outside, I can't hear her inside and when I am outside with her, I know that the neighbors can't hear her, either. Their dogs might still be able to hear her, but that part doesn't concern me.

Inside, she seems to be barking less. Maybe it is because her barking no longer echoes around the room. She will bark once or twice and then stop, which is a new thing for her.

Now, we just have to work on the issue she has with cars - and, find her a forever home.

Look Away & Look At Me

The above picture shows a scared rescue dog "looking away." He is showing a lot of body language in this picture:

• He is looking away from the person holding him
• His ears are flat to his head
• His eye is showing white in a "whale eye" way
• His mouth is tight

Since it is not a video, we can not tell if he is also licking his lips or yawning. These are all signs that the dog is nervous and stressed. In this dog's case, he has every right to be - he is in a shelter, strangers are taking pictures of him (a camera is just a really big, shiny eye to dogs) and I am sure that the noise level there is fairly high.

But, there is hope:

Here, he is still scared, but looking at the camera. He is obviously used to making eye contact with humans and will be a quick learner for "Look" or eye contact. However, even if this dog never made eye contact, it would still be an excellent candidate for rescue. I haven't met a dog that hasn't been able to learn to meet my eyes.

Teaching eye contact is one of the easiest things I do with a foster dog. It doesn't require that I touch the dog. The dog doesn't need to know its name. All the dog has to be able to do is eat treats - and, be brave enough to eat those treats in my presence.

What you need are:

• Treats (pea sized)
• Treat bag (for keeping the treats in)
• Clicker

Begin by throwing a treat one at a time onto the floor. As soon as the dog picks up the treat, click. Do this about 10 times or so. We call this "charging the clicker" and it basically begins the association of clicker to treats.

Place a treat in one hand with your arm outstretched. As soon as the dog looks at the treat, click and give the treat. You can either hand the dog the treat or toss it to the dog. Repeat 20 or so more times. End session.

During the next session, which can be after a break or that evening or the next day, start with having the treat held like before. Click & treat about 10 more times. Now, bend your arm so that the treat is half the distance it was from your body. When the dog looks at it, click and treat. Repeat 20 or so more times. Now that the dog really knows what the clicker is for, make sure that you, every once in awhile, skip the treat, but not the click. This give a variable reinforcement to the click, which makes the behavior you are training more resistant to extinction (i.e., it doesn't get forgotten or go away easily).

If you have a really shy dog, you will want to stay at this step for a few sessions.

Now, for the next session, practice the previous sessions for a few clicks and then move your hand, with treat, so that the treat is held right between your eyes. When the dog looks at the treat, click & treat. Practice this a few sessions.

Now, move your hand so that your finger is pointing to between your eyes. When the dog looks there, click and treat. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

Now that you do not have to hold a treat to get the dog to look at you, you can now introduce a verbal cue (we call what we did before the physical cue - it is good to use both, since dogs can lose their hearing). I use "look" or the dog's name or both. Basically, point to your eyes and say look. When the dog looks, click and treat. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

I can usually get any foster dog, including the shy ones, to look at my face within a week. That is about 7 days of one session per day, with each session being no more than 5 minutes.

Some things to remember: if the dog starts showing those calming signals like the pictures above, back up a step in your training and do that step until the dog becomes comfortable. Then, move on to the next step. Keep an eye on the dog's body language the entire time you are training and make sure that he is always OK with what you are doing. If he isn't, step back and reevaluate.

Body Language

The body language of homo sapiens differs considerably from that of canis lupus familiaris. Ever seen a pair of dogs hugging? For most of us, a hug is a non-threatening part of communicating with another human. For a dog, a hug can be scary and nerve wracking, since in dog speak, when a dog places its paw on another dog's back, this can be taken as a challenge. Sometimes, it is part of play, too, but the dog can't always know this.

So, we monkeys need to be aware of how our body language impacts our canine companions. If we raise a dog from a puppy, that dog often naturally learns to read our body language. They aren't born knowing how to understand us, just as we need to learn to understand them. And, if we adopt a rescue dog, then we do not know what that dog has been taught about body language or how it was taught (positive reinforcement or punishment). We need to be prepared to help the dog learn to understand our body language and to change our own body language so that the dog is not threatened.

And excellent place to start is with the following books and websites:

"On Talking Terms with Dogs" by Turid Rugaas and her companion website http://www.canis.no/rugaas/ I really recommend the "Gallery" and Questions and Answers" section.

"Canine Body Language: A Photgraphic Guide" by Brenda Aloff is worth every penny. Through the extensive use of photographs, different body language is shown - between dogs and between dogs and humans.

These books are also invaluable in understanding when the dog is stressed and needs to be removed from a situation. When it might need a time out. When it is too stressed to learn.

Both books can be found on http://www.dogwise.com/

One of the things we teach rescue dogs is the ability to begin reading humans. I use calming signals, such as looking away, licking lips, turning sideways, crouching down, leaning back, and yawning to help calm a frightened dog so that it can begin to understand and trust humans.

House training & Crate training

The more common term is "house breaking," but, I am not breaking the dog of using the house as a bathroom - I am actually training it that the house isn't the place to go - outdoors is. All dogs have accidents inside, especially when the are first brought into rescue. They are scared, confused, and don't understand the new rules. I expect a few mistakes and have plenty of paper towels on hand. Since house training and crate training pretty much go hand-in-hand, I teach them together.

When the foster dog first comes home, I allow it to greet the other dogs and then I lead it to its "assigned" crate. This crate is where foster dog will spend its time when I am not home and where it will get all of its meals and chew toys. I put foster dog into his crate and leave the leash on (so that I can get him out of the crate, too).

Then, I find an appropriate martingale collar and fix a drag line to it. And, I prepare every one's meal. Everyone is fed, including foster dog, in their own crate. After everyone has eaten, the other dogs go outside to go to the bathroom and play. Foster dog and I spend a little time adjusting the martingale collar and then the two of us go outside to go to the bathroom (outside of and away from the fenced in area where the other dogs are). As this point, I usually attach a 30 foot long leash onto foster dog to give him more room to sniff and do his business.

We stay outside until foster dog goes to the bathroom (or until I am freezing if it is winter). Some newly arrived dogs will not eat or go to the bathroom for a few days, so I don;t spend hours outside. If foster dog has gone to the bathroom, he gets praise, a whole bunch of treats and the ability to explore the house a little. If foster dog has not gone to the bathroom, he goes back into his crate with a chew toy.

I usually do my own thing now - eat my meal, answer e-mails, watch TV, play with my own dogs. When it is time for bed, the other dogs again go outside and foster dog and I go out and repeat the bathroom process. The foster dog is then crated for the night.

Note: I never leave a new foster and my own dogs unattended and uncrated until I have seen how they interact. There is always a chance that someone will not get along and a fight could occur. It is much easier to prevent this from happening - and takes less time - than having to go to the vet to treat a bite or an abscess!

Wwe repeat the bathroom process in the morning and throughout the day. Once I know that the foster dog gets along with my own dogs, he can go outside with them (off leash) and go to the bathroom that way. I just observe him through the window at this point and praise and treat when he comes in.

The cardinal rule for house training is that the dog is only allowed out of the crate (or off a leash attached to your waist) inside after he has gone to the bathroom outside. Frequent trips outside, treats and crating make quick work of housetraining. As foster dog gets more reliable, then he gets more freedom in the home.

For more detailed information on house training, check out "Way to Go! How to House Train a Dog of Any Age" by Patricia McConnell.

Are You Ready for Adoption?

Each foster dog that I have needs to be evaluated before being placed for adoption. I evaluate the following:

Temperament
OK with other animals?
OK with children?
OK with strangers?
Fence needed?
Rides well in cars?
OK left alone?
Chews stuff?
Exercise level?
Knows any cues/tricks?

Another important part of fostering is making sure that the foster dog has the skills needed to successfully live in his/her new adoptive home. These are not necessarily obedience level skills, such as down or stay. An adoptive home can teach that. The skills that I am talking about are ones that make living with the dog easier – I call them “house manners.” Some of the skills that I, as a foster mum, make sure that my foster dogs have are:

Housetrained
Crate trained
Allows collar grabs
Knows name
Takes treats easily
Tolerates grooming
Knows cues for: Loose leash walking, sit, off the bed, quiet down (be quiet)

These skills are in addition to being spayed/neutered, up to date on shots, and healthy. At first, for a new foster home, evaluating and teaching all of these can be daunting, so I am going to write up what I do with each.

Oh So Shy

Grace, a pretty blue and sable merle sheltie, came into rescue in early January. She isn't my first shy foster, but she has been the one who has needed the most care.

While at the puppy mill, Grace was in a kennel with far too many other shelties. There wasn’t enough food or water and there was no one who would clean the waste out of the kennel. As a result, all the shelties were stressed and they would fight amongst themselves. Grace was one of the weaker ones and she still has scars on her muzzle.

When the puppy mill was shut down, Grace was fostered by a volunteer for one of the shelters that helped with the closure. She stayed at this foster home for 3 months. Then, it was decided that Grace should be turned over to sheltie rescue, so she came to my home, since Holly’s was filled with puppies and our other foster homes were full, too.

Grace greeted the other dogs at my home very well, but showed some odd behaviors. She would roughly sniff the other dogs and sometimes growl and nip at them. Even though my dogs are well socialized, they really had no idea what was going on with Grace, so they started avoiding her. She got the cold shoulder from them, which, at the time, suited Grace just fine.

Towards me, she acted almost feral. She would overreact to noise and movements that I made – jump off the couch so hard that she would slam into furniture. She would run into the kitchen and slam into the patio door, not realizing that it was glass. She would jerk violently at the end of a leash and would jerk backwards when her collar was held.

It really seemed hopeless. I thought about finding a pet sanctuary for her where she could live out her days without human contact. I, who has shy dogs of my own, and who has fostered a number of shelties with behavioral problems, thought that there was nothing we could do for this dog. I cursed the people who did this to her. I cursed myself for agreeing to take her and for failing her.

But, I remembered how she sat in her previous foster mother’s lap. She had gotten up there on her own, under her own power. So, I realized that there was hope. There just had to be.

So, I re-read all of my behavioral books: the books in my library about fearful dogs, about dog body language, and the ones by people who owned and rehabilitated difficult dogs. I decided that someone had to help Grace and that would have to be me. Once I made that decision, I knew that things would get better.

The first thing I did was to fit Grace with a different collar. She had chewed off 2 nylon choke collars, 2 drag lines and a leash. In desperation, I put a chain choke on her. That worked, but it tightened unmercifully when she pulled and the tightness frightened her, which led to it getting tighter and her becoming more frightened. So, I found a Martingale collar that was made of nylon with a chain bit that hung in the front. It fits just right. She can’t get her mouth into the chain and the collar only tightens to a certain point – tight enough to not let her slip the collar, but not tight enough to choke her.

What an improvement.

Because she chews off her drag lines, I converted the chain choke into a drag line, with a long leash attached, so that I can catch her without cornering her or grabbing her. Now, I can pick up the leash and lead her to her crate or to the door and she doesn’t flip out (like a cat on a rope, as I like to say). She still needs improvement for walking on the leash, but we will get to that later.

I have also assigned to her a crate, instead of a corner of the couch. She was peeing on the couch instead of asking to go out (and then, when I would try to put her out, she would pee out of fear). Now, she hangs out in the crate when I am not there. She hasn’t made a mess of the crate, so she will be able to have her own bed and toys in there now. She is fed in there and gets a lot of treats in there. In just a few days, it has become her safe spot.

She is getting along much better with the other dogs. They still pretty much ignore her, but she has begun looking to them for guidance. If they go outside, she wants to go outside. If they come inside, she follows. She now gets excited about dinner time and has begun enjoying the chew treats. She was really impressed with the Booda Bone I got for her and spent an entire afternoon happily chewing – on the couch without any messes.

She still has a long way to go, though. At the most basic, she needs to be given a really good brushing, have her nails clipped, be given a bath and take a trip to the vet. She doesn’t trust me enough for me to do those things to her yet, though. I would muzzle her (for my safety) and do them, but she’ll live without them being done for the time being.

Right now, I am just happy when she will take a treat directly out of my hand, rather than me having to set it on the couch. It isn’t every time, but it is an improvement.

I keep telling myself that this dog deserves the best chance I can give her. My efforts now will enable her to be placed in a forever home that will love and cherish her. And, I want the next home she goes to to be her forever home. She will stay with me until we find that home.